Bed of Lies
by TheDreamyOne
Summary: **Completed**(Co-Authored by Gypsy)Frank finds contentment is a still pond; the ripples one pebble cause can go on indeterminately.
1. Dropping the Bomb

Title:                Bed of Lies

Author:            TheDreamyOne and Gypsy

Email:             sdjolly@bellsouth.net

Rating:            PG-13 (some language; brief sexual situation)

Synopsis:       Frank finds contentment is a still pond; the ripples one pebble cause can go on indeterminately.     

Disclaimer:    UC:Undercover and its characters don't belong to us.  However, Shay, Frankie, Thomas, Deirdre, LJ, Ariel, Jessie, Katie, and a few others do.  No infringements intended, so don't sue.  You wouldn't like what you'd get anyway.   

~~~

She sat at the vanity diligently applying her makeup.  Soft hues combined with her pale skin to achieve the desired effect.  She was beautiful and she knew it.  The phone rang suddenly and she reached for the cordless phone at the side of the vanity and answered it quietly.  

"Are you ready?" the husky male voice asked.

"Yes.  Rather a timely return to his life, don't you think?" she replied.  

"Isn't it what you want? What you've always wanted?" he asked impatiently.

"Yes.  He should be mine...should have been all along," she answered.  Yet, somehow, he never found her as irresistible as other men did.   He had tossed her aside without so much as a look back.  She hated him for it, and yet, she had never stopped loving him.

"You'll meet the wife tomorrow.  He's in for a rude awakening."  

*****

"Hey Sis," Frankie called as she entered the break room of the SOG headquarters.  "Eating again, huh?"

"I can't help it.  This kid is insatiable, just like his father," Shay replied with a smirk and a rub to her belly.  Nearly through her seventh month she had a nice sized basketball where her abdomen used to be.  "So what brings you to hell, Sis?"

"Oh that's rich.  Hell is it?  I think you're just cranky because you haven't gotten any lately."  Frankie chuckled as she sat at the table and plucked a bagel from the pile at the center of the table.

"Ha ha...very funny.  Frank's out of town, you know...otherwise..." Shay smirked.  Pregnancy hadn't really been a problem in that area...yet.  "I just miss him."

"He'll be back tomorrow, darlin'."

"Thank God for small favors...just why are you here, Frankie?" Shay asked, suddenly realizing Frankie hadn't answered her earlier.

Frankie shrugged.  "I don't know exactly.  Deirdre called this morning and asked that I meet her here.  She just said I would be needed on a personal level."

Shay frowned and pushed her plate away, her bagel only half eaten.  "I'm not sure I like the sound of that.  Has something happened to Frank and you're just afraid to tell me?"

Smiling, she reached across the table and gave Shay's hand a firm squeeze.  "Don't you think I would tell you if I knew something?  Donovan's fine...and I have no idea..."

Cody poked his head into the break room.  "Uh...guys...Burkholtz is here...and she brought some leggy blonde with her.  Said to get your asses out here now."

"Deirdre said that?" Frankie balked.  Even in the short time she had known her, her mother didn't speak to her like that.

"No," Cody replied shaking his head.  "The blonde said it.  She's rather...impatient."

"Sounds like a bitch to me," Shay replied, pushing herself out of the chair with a groan and a hand to her lower back.  "So tell her I'm hurrying...a whale can only move so fast out of water."

Frankie laughed good-naturedly at her friend.  "You only think you look like that...you've barely gained anything with this kid."

"Yeah, yeah..." Shay mumbled as they headed for the larger conference room.

"So what's so damned important you drag a pregnant woman away from her trough," Frankie demanded jokingly when she drew up to her mother.

Deirdre poked a thumb toward the blonde.  "We have a little fly in the ointment here."

"Whaddya mean?" Alex asked, seating herself at the conference table, eyeing the bottled blonde with the exquisitely made-up porcelain features.  

"She means," the blonde finally spoke and turned her full attention to the very pregnant woman seated beside Alex, "that _you_ are not married to Frank Donovan.  I am his wife."

Passersby might have heard the collective jaws dropping in the conference room; it was that audible.  Jake had come up behind Frankie and Shay and placed a hand on each of their shoulders.  With Frank out of town, he felt Shay was his responsibility.  His love for his teammate and friend went beyond the norm of friendship and passed into family.  He was her children's godfather and had already been asked to be the unborn's as well.  She was his sister for all intents and purposes and he knew his wife felt the same for Shay.  

Shay was speechless.  How could this woman come into their world and make such a ludicrous declaration?  Still, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of unease and reached up to her shoulder to grasp Jake's hand.  Who was she and why had Frank never mentioned that he had been married before?  She was lying, but to what purpose?  

"Drop another one, why don'tcha," Cody remarked scornfully.  "No way Donovan is married to anyone but Shay.  She's his life, Miss..."

"Mrs.," the blonde replied.  "Mrs. Daphne Donovan; formerly Daphne Charles.  And I can assure you, I am quite sane...and quite in the right on this."  

"Oh get bent!"  Frankie snarled softly.  She could feel Jake's grip tightening on her shoulder.  Day by day he was getting more and more like Frank in his calm and cool demeanor.  At times it was irritating and at times it was a welcome refuge.

Shay watched as the blonde produced document after document with Frank's signature.  Application for marriage license, submission of blood tests, receipts for wedding rings and the final notarized marriage certificate.  She only stared at them, her arms folded protectively over her belly as if to shield their unborn son from the atrocity.  

"This is ridiculous," Frankie cried incredulously.  She glanced at Shay who had yet to say a word and was beginning to look a bit too pale.  "Don't you worry; we'll get to the bottom of this."

"Ya know...of all the low down dirty things to do...come in here when Frank is away and unable to refute your claim...and spill this filth to his pregnant wife.  What the hell kind of barracuda are you, lady?"  Alex spat.

Daphne's chin rose in defiance.  No one spoke to her that way and she would not have it.  "It is my life and I want it back...and I don't care who I have to step on along the way."

"Again, get bent babe.  You're 'stepping on' the wrong people here.  Now get out before I throw your ass out."

"Give it a try, if you think you can handle it, Mrs. Shaw." Daphne stared icily at Frankie.**  The look she bestowed upon Frankie was akin to looking down at someone, as if Frankie were beneath her.**

Frankie had been about to lunge at Daphne when Jake's grip shifted from her shoulder to both of her upper arms.  About the time she took a step forward, Jake yanked her back and kept an iron grip.

"This isn't the time or the place," he whispered in her ear.  "Later, when she's alone and when we've proven the truth.  Then I'll be the one to lock you and her in a room and wait until she screams for mercy.  But not right now.  Take care of Shay first."

Shay raised herself from her chair slowly, the hand covering her belly clutching the shirt she wore buttoned over her maternity skirt.  It was one of Frank's dress shirts.  When he was away for any length of time, she always took comfort in wearing his clothes.  The need for that comfort was tenfold when she was pregnant.  "Miss Charles...and I _shall_ call you that until such a time comes that my husband backs up your claim and declares our marriage a sham, you may leave now.  You are not welcome here.  I'm sure you can give Director Burkholtz the information of where and how you can be reached."

Deirdre smiled approvingly at Shay.  She kept her calm and declared her dominance and position in Frank's life.  He would be proud of how she handled this cold and calloused man-eater.  That was precisely what Daphne Charles was or what her background check had uncovered.  She knew with the help of Donovan's team, they would get to the bottom of this situation.  In the meantime, she had some bad news to deliver to Frank.  Unfortunately, he was not here to receive it.  He was with the Washington bureaucrats going over last year's budget comparison to actual expenditures.  

"Agent Donovan, it is my unpleasant duty to inform you in Agent Frank Donovan's stead that he has been put on suspension until this matter of his bigamy can be resolved.  Bigamy is a crime, Agent Donovan, and if he is found guilty...he may be looking at jail time."

"Deirdre!" Frankie exclaimed in horror.  She knew her mother held Frank in high regard and couldn't understand how she could be a part of this.  "Surely you're joking!  I know that Frank would never do anything like this!  At least give him a chance to dispute this looney's claim before you put him on suspension!"

Deirdre waited until Cody and Jake had walked Daphne Charles toward the door before answering.  "Frankie...this isn't easy or pleasant for me, but it is my duty.  Her accusations make no sense and yet she had documentation to prove her claim.  And worse yet...there were no divorce or annulment records to be found."

Frankie, Alex, and Shay each shook their heads in disbelief.  Deirdre could see the pain in Frank's wife's face and it looked as if she was about to faint.  "Shay...you need to sit down, you don't look well."

She shook her head and brushed past everyone.    She picked up her purse and withdrew her car keys.  Unshed tears blurred her vision and she knew she wouldn't be able to drive.  "CODY!" 

Cody ran back into the room quickly, hearing the panic in Shay's voice.  They had worked closely as partners over the last couple of years and he had learned to read her well.  "I'm here, Shay....what, what?"

"Ta-take me home..." she managed to squeak out while fighting back the tears.  She refused to cry, because there was nothing to cry about.  _She_ was Mrs. Frank Donovan and that was that.

--

to be continued...


	2. Daddy's Home

Slipping into the house quietly, a few minutes shy of midnight, he made his way through the house in darkness.   He had managed to catch an earlier flight instead of waiting until his original landed the next afternoon.  The meetings were drudgery and he wanted nothing more than to sleep in his own bed, once again falling asleep with his wife comfortably wrapped in his arms.  He made two quick stops at the babies' rooms to check on them and marveled at his precious children.  And, to think, there was another on the way to soon join them.  

Moving on to the master bedroom he shed his clothes quickly, uncaring of where they landed, he wanted only to be in the haven of his wife's all encompassing love.  He slid easily between the sheets without disturbing her and a grin touched his lips when he thought of what a sound sleeper she became when she was pregnant.  It had been the same with Ariel.  A little devilish and perhaps selfish, he couldn't help but dive under the covers to kiss and caress her swollen belly through her nightgown.  He let out a quiet chuckle when baby boy Donovan rewarded him with a firm kick to his nose.  Yes, they had found out the gender of the baby.  Shay had been determined from the moment she realized she was pregnant that she was carrying his son and she would not be dissuaded.  The doctors had merely confirmed what she already knew as gospel.

"Frank," he heard her whisper as she lifted the covers slightly.  

"I hope so.  Makes me wonder how many men crawl into your bed and kiss your belly," he joked and popped out from under the blanket to lay his head next to hers on her pillow, facing her.  

His eyes were adjusted to the darkness and he could see how puffy her eyes were, puffiness from crying.  "What's the matter, Ash?  What's got you upset?"

"Tell me about Daphne Charles," she whispered, her eyes locked onto his, searching them for any clue as to what that woman had meant to him.

Frank searched his memory.  The name was familiar and he sifted through the data bank of his brain until recollection dawned.  "She's a CIA operative, love, why do you ask?"

"Is that all she is to you?  Nothing more?" she asked, pushing harder for information.

He nodded and wondered why she was asking about a woman long forgotten from his past.  "Why do you ask?"

"She's here...came to the nest...Deirdre brought her."

Frank heard the hiccup in her voice and tenderly folded her hand into his.  "What did she do, _mon cadeau_?  Why has she got you so upset?"

"She sa-said..." she began as a fresh round of sobs bobbed to the surface and Frank took her tenderly into his arms, rubbing her back for comfort.  

"What did she say?"

"That...that you and she are married...and...and...our marriage...." she trailed off, crying unchecked in his arms.

"Married?  Wha...I...oh dear God..."

"Is it true?" Shay demanded, lifting her head to watch him closely.

"Not the way you think, baby.  I promise, we'll get this all cleared up in the morning."  He was thankful she quieted and he spent the remainder of the night holding her, rocking her, and comforting her even while she slept.  In her state, to get this worked up, it couldn't be good for either her or the baby.  And he had no idea how long she had been worrying about this.  He had one big bone to pick with Deirdre...that she would drop this kind of news in Shay's lap while he was not around to take care of her!   

*****

Frank entered the nest early the next morning with Shay at his side.  The entire team was gathered in the briefing room and they could hear Jake suggesting that Cody do his damnedest to prove those marriage documents were forged.  Meanwhile, Alex was to shadow the porcelain goddess and find out just what kind of game she was running.  The woman had to be after something and more than just to snag herself a husband.

Frank had to admire Jake's take-charge attitude; he really was coming along as a phenomenal agent.  One day Jake would step into the role of SOG command and Frank was sure he would be more than ready.  It was, after all, his main goal to mold Jake into an SOG leader.  

Frankie was the first to spot the Donovans enter the briefing area.  She had tried repeatedly to call Shay the previous night, but she wasn't taking any calls.  It had been her intention to go to the house and check on her, but after talking to Cody she had decided it was better to let Shay rest as best she could for the night and bring up the subject of Frank's "other wife" the next day.

"Hey girlfriend," Frankie greeting as she moved from her seat at the table to Shay's side.  "How ya holdin' up?"

Shay shrugged and smiled tiredly.  "Pretty good.  Had an unexpected visitor last night," she joked, squeezing Frank's hand softly, "and he managed to make things better."

"Funny how those husband-type visitors can do just that," Frankie joked and winked at Frank.  "Kinda surprised to see you here, BigGuy."

Frank raised a brow.  "Why's that?"

"Didn't Shay tell ya, boss?" Cody asked, looking up from his computer.

Shay gasped and covered her mouth with her hand.  "Sweet Jesus!  I can't believe I forgot...I mean...I..."

Frank put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a gentle hug.  "I think you had a little too much on your mind last night, Ash.  Don't beat yourself up.  Fill me in," he demanded, glancing around the room at his co-workers and friends.

"Deirdre dropped one helluva bomb yesterday," Jake began.

"No shit," Frank commented.  "And don't think I won't express my feelings on that matter with her."

"It's worse than you think, Frank," Shay whispered as he ushered her toward a chair to get her off her feet.  "They've put you on suspension."  She turned to face him, her eyes locking onto his expressing her grief.  "I'm sorry...last night...all I could think of was _her._"

He leaned toward her while easing her down into the chair, his lips next to her ear and whispered softly so that only she could hear, "Whatever happens, whatever the outcome, trust in me.  We'll get this worked out and do what we have to.  You are my lady..."

Shay nodded slightly and turned her head enough to whisper in return, "You are my man."

"Forever and always." His whisper was barely audible, but she heard it clearly.  "No one can change that."

***

to be continued


	3. The Meeting

***

Donovan sat alone in his office, past thoughts and deeds haunting him.  After he made a call and left a message for Deirdre that he wanted to see Miss Charles in his office ASAP, he took time to go over all the documents that were left regarding his "marriage".  

He stood and moved to the window overlooking his team's work area.  Jake, Alex and Frankie sat together at the briefing table going over reports and files that Cody printed out.  Cody and Shay sat at their workstation, both punching ferociously at their keyboard.  They were looking to disprove the marriage ever existed.  "Too bad it had," he whispered while keeping his eye on Shay.  

He noticed as everyone's attention turned toward the door and then saw Deirdre enter the room below along with Daphne Charles.  How long had it been since he'd last seen her?  Ten or eleven years at least, if memory served.  He had only been in the CIA eleven months and it had been his first "big" assignment.  Still, it had only been an assignment, an assignment that was now back to bite him in the ass.

He sighed heavily before opening his office door.  Squaring his shoulders, he made his way down the stairs and met his visitors in the briefing room.  He met Daphne's arrogant stare with his own icy one, only once looking away to glance in Shay's direction.  Although she hid it well, she looked apprehensive watching Daphne slink across the room toward him and he hated himself for putting her through this torment.  If only he had been more thorough with his personal affairs when he was younger.

"Hello, Frank," Daphne purred, moving in to hug him.  "It's been much too long."  

Frankie lifted one eyebrow at Daphne Charles' intimate attempt.  Unconsciously as she sat in the chair Jake usually occupied during briefings, her left hand clenched deathly tight onto the arm in an effort to rein in her overwhelming urge to slap the bitch.

"Daphne," he replied stiffly, side-stepping her as she reached for him.  "Hello Deirdre.  After this meeting with Miss Charles, you and I have a few things to _discuss,_" he ground out.

With one icily spat word he let her know that whatever her charade, he was not interested.  No matter, whether he warmed up to the idea of being married to her or not, she would make his life hell.  The same unrequited hell she lived in all those years ago.  Somehow, she would destroy what he had and leave him with nothing.

Behind them and unseen by Daphne, Frankie's eyes were narrowed and her knuckles were a blood strained white from her grip.  Jake had moved over to where his wife was sitting in his effort to keep her calm and not upset Shay any more than she already was.  If Frankie were to make a lunge or dive for Daphne, then Shay's blood pressure might go through the roof.

"That's," Daphne interjected coldly, turning a freezing glare toward Shay, "_Mrs. Donovan,_ if you don't mind."

When she spat out her venom, it took both Alex and Jake literally sitting on Frankie to keep her in her chair.  Alex immediately jumped up when she saw Frankie's lip curl and plopped herself down in the woman's lap while Jake kept an iron press on his wife's shoulders.

"Now isn't the time," he whispered.  "Keep your cool Firecracker, let Frank deal with this for the time being."

Donovan's eyes narrowed to thin slits as he looked angrily at the intruding woman.  She was deliberating looking to hurt Shay and he would not have any of that.  "Actually, Miss Charles, I _do_ mind.  It leaves a rather bad taste in my mouth."  When Daphne's gaze did not move from Shay's direction, he added, "You are looking at the only woman I would _ever_ call Mrs. Donovan."

Shay arched an appreciative eyebrow at her husband and smiled viciously at the Porcelain Queen.  She might think she had the upper hand at the moment, but she was matching wits with one mean hombre in her husband.  

Deirdre watched the tension filled scene unfold before her.  Having brought Daphne Charles amongst the team, she felt responsible for the situation; however, she was doing the only thing she could under the circumstances.  Donovan had been charged with a serious crime and as soon as this meeting was over, she would have to relieve him of his duties.  

"Agent Donovan, perhaps this would be better done in your office?"  Deirdre suggested.

Frank nodded ungraciously.  "Jake, I'd like you to be present."

Jake nodded, gave Frankie's shoulder a squeeze, and without word followed Deirdre and Daphne up to Frank's office.  Frank lagged behind to check on Shay, who was looking a bit on the pale side.   Meanwhile, Cody and Alex dragged Frankie off to give Frank and Shay some privacy.

"Ash, will you be okay, baby?  You're not looking well," he whispered as he gathered her into a snug embrace.  If only his embrace could keep all this from entering her world.  Unfortunately, it was too late for that.  Now he had to keep her stress to a minimum.  She was doing well with this pregnancy, but the doctor had warned him that too much stress could put her in the same situation she had with Ariel.  

"You don't look so good yourself, Tiger," she answered, smoothing the deep furrow in his brow with her fingers.  "And I know you're keeping something from me; you've got that same look about you as when you tried to keep those murders your cousin committed from me."

Frank released a long breath; she was on to him already.  "After the meeting..." he trailed and kissed her forehead.

"You'll tell me everything?"  

He nodded hesitantly and kissed her lips softly before releasing his hold on her and making his way up to his office.  Upon entering, he found Deirdre and Daphne seated in front of his desk and Jake leaning against the windowsill behind it.  

"Frank, I don't know what light you can shed on this, but we have not unearthed a single piece of evidence to dispute Miss Charles claim that she is legally your wife."  Deirdre watched as his eyes darkened to the color of coal.  The man was beyond furious and she hated to be on the receiving end of that look.

Frank leaned back in his chair and gazed intently at Daphne.  "I know, without a doubt, that I signed Annulment papers.  I also know your signature was on those papers.  How did you do it, Daphne?  What happened to those papers?"

Frank watched the smile appear on her face.  The woman was a gorgeous creature, but she was a fake down to her soul.  There wasn't a genuine feeling or emotion inside her; that was something he had discovered back in his CIA days.  Oh, she had let him know how much she wanted him, but there was something about her that left him cold.  He knew that feeling again.  That smile; it was almost evil...obscene.  It made her ugly.

"I signed no such paper, Frank.  Why are you doing this?  That you left me without a word was difficult enough to deal with, but that you deny our relationship ever existed?  You're a cruel, cruel man!"   _Oh, this is just too much fun._  He looked as if he was about ready to come over the desk at her.  

"Just what is your game, Daphne?" Frank growled.  "You know damn well that marriage was only for an assignment.  It was in name only and was planned to be annulled from the get-go."  

Daphne feigned hurt.  "Darling, how could you say such a thing?  Yes, we worked together, but the marriage was quite real.  Down to each and every time you had this body."

"That's a lie...or you're deluded."  He had heard all that he cared to hear.  The woman was clearly going to be of no help resolving this issue.  "Enough of this," Frank spat, "I'll find out what you did with those papers, Daphne, and be rid of you once and for all." 

"In the meantime, Agent Donovan," Deirdre began reluctantly, "as much as I dislike this situation and my duty in this mess, I must ask you to vacate your office immediately.  Agent Shaw will be asked to assume your duties in your absence."  She was aware of all three sets of eyes boring holes into her and she felt like the biggest hypocrite in the world.  Unfortunately, she was doing her expected duty.

"Very well, Director Burkholtz," Donovan answered crisply.  He just wanted this moment to be over.  He wanted this whole problem over. 

With a slight nod in Frank's direction, Jake ushered the two women toward the door.  

"A minute, please, Deirdre," Frank announced before she reached the door.  

Deirdre sucked in a breath and turned to face Frank Donovan.  Not the Special Agent, but Frank Donovan the husband.

Jake continued on with Daphne and when they reached the briefing room, he answered Frankie's questioning gaze with a slight shake of the head.  Things were not going well.

---

"Deirdre...we've been friends, as well as co-workers for many years," Frank began in a steady, low voice.  Well past his anger toward her actions, he merely wanted to make his feelings known.  "If you ever, ever pull a stunt like this again...Frankie's mother or not...my superior or not...I _will_ make your life a living hell."

"Frank...I.." 

"No, I'm not finished.  If Shay suffers any repercussions because of you dropping this shit in her lap while I was out of town...no job, no title will save you.  Not a threat, not insubordination...just a man who cannot understand why you would let this go down knowing I was out of town."

Deirdre squared her shoulders and took his quiet wrath with dignity.  He had every right to lash out at her; she would not argue that point.  "Believe me when I say I haven't enjoyed this duty and that I did try to postpone the meeting between Daphne Charles and your wife.  Unfortunately, she has some heavy hitters behind her.  Who they are, I haven't been able to find out.  Whoever they are...they had the higher ups jumping."

Frank nodded.  "I'll find out who's behind this.  I realize I'm out on my ass here, for the time being, but I will assume that my team will still be working on this case?"

"Of course."

"And Shay?"

Deirdre frowned at the unexpected question.  "She's a part of this team, Agent Donovan.  However, under the circumstances, any personal time she needs is completely understandable."

"I thank you for that."

---

to be continued...


	4. When Love and Hate Collide

When Jake returned to the briefing room, he found Frank had made his way back downstairs and was seated at the table with Shay at his side.  Frankie, Alex, and Cody joined them at the same time as Jake.  It was time for answers and Frank was the only one who could supply them.

"What's the scoop, Frank?" Frankie asked as she took a seat next to Jake.

"The scoop is, that I'm out of here for now.  Daphne Charles is maintaining that we had a real marriage."  At the distressed sigh Shay released, Frank grasped her hand firmly underneath the table.  "I can assure you; the marriage was in name only and was to be annulled the moment the assignment was over.  Unfortunately, I cannot find finalized paperwork for the Annulment."

"I don't understand...why did you have to marry for real as part of an assignment?" Alex asked.  Her eyes flicked from Frank to Shay and back again.  Did he know how unwell she was looking?

"It was a complicated case.  We were posing as man and wife CIA operatives willing to sell inside information to the highest bidder.  If our backgrounds were checked into, it was imperative that everything appeared as legit as possible.  No stones were left unturned," he explained.

"Apparently you forgot to turn one," Cody commented wryly and received an elbow in his side from Alex.  "What?"

"So it would seem," Frank replied, unaffected by Cody's bad attempt at humor.  "I was young and not quite as obsessed with detail as I am now.  I can assure you I signed those papers," he stated, turning to his wife.  "The marriage was never anything but a name on a paper."

Shay nodded slightly but said nothing.  This was a lot to process.  She and Frank were not married.  She was not Mrs. Frank Donovan.  Her children were bastards.  All these thoughts swirled in her brain until she thought she might scream from the insanity of it all.  He had been married in the past and never told her.  He was still married...and not to her.

"The question is...what happened to those papers?" Jake asked, leaning forward in his seat.  "You signed them; you said her signature was on them...so what then? From your hands to whose?"  

Frank opened his mouth to answer and stopped when Shay suddenly pushed back from the table and stood as quickly as her baby-hindered body would allow.  

"What fucking difference does it make?" she spat.  "The papers weren't filed.  Bottom line.  Frank Donovan is married to Daphne Charles!"  

Frank stood and faced her, wishing to calm her.  He was a little more than surprised when she reached into his front pant's pocket and snatched the keys to the Blazer.  "Shay?" he called out when she abruptly turned and left him.

She heard him call out to her.  A part of her wanted to stop, turn around and run into his arms.  The other, angrier part of her wanted to get as far away from him as possible.  Her fury, her disappointment, and her anguish won out and she left him without looking back.

***

She felt numb from head to toe by the time she reached her father's house to pick up LJ and Ariel.  She was tempted to ask him if she could spend the night and give her some time to work through her muddled thoughts without having to see Frank, but that was not fair to the kids.  They would not understand the sudden separation from their father, although she could tell them work kept him away.  No, she was not about to start lying to her children.  

Thomas watched Shay closely while helping her to get the children safely in their car seats.  She had hardly said a word beyond "Hi Dad" and would not meet his gaze.  Something was wrong, but she was a stubborn woman and would not tell her problems unless prodded and only when she was ready.  After the children were settled, he kissed her cheek and brushed her hair from her eyes.  "You know where I am when you're ready to talk," he whispered and smiled softly.

"Thanks Dad.  I just need a little time.  Thanks for taking such good care of the kids," she added while sliding behind the wheel.  "See you in the morning."

Thomas nodded and closed the car door.  He waved goodbye and watched as she drove off.  He hoped Frank would be able to help her work through whatever was bothering her.

--

After grabbing the spare house keys he kept in his office, Frank borrowed Cody's Jeep and followed Shay to the house.  He knew she would head to her father's to pick up the children before going home.  As he pulled into the driveway he wondered if she would come home at all, but then he saw the Blazer pull in behind him.  

In quick succession, he was out of the Jeep and opening the Blazer door for her.  "Ash..."

"Not in front of the kids," she whispered harshly.  Brushing aside his offered hand, she struggled her way out of the vehicle and threw open the rear door.  After unbuckling LJ from his car seat, she helped him out of the car and patted his bottom softly.  "Go inside with Daddy while I get Airy from her seat."

"Okay, Mommy," he agreed, reaching up and grabbing hold of his father's hand.  

Frank stared speechless for a moment before Shay slammed the car door and jolted him out of his stupor.  He watched her round the vehicle and lean inside to remove Ariel from her seat.  

"Take Jake into the house, Frank," she ordered, peeking over the roof.  "Start his bath and we'll _talk_ after the kids are in bed."

This was a side to Shay he had never seen before.  No matter what her state of anger, or how forceful she was in getting her way, she had never _ordered_ him around.  His Shay was hurting right now and she did not care if she hurt him in return.  He bent and lifted LJ easily into his arms.  "C'mon Little Man, let's get going," he said softly.

"Ummm...Daddy?  Why's Mommy so mad?" he asked softly as they made their way to the house.  "Did we do something bad?"  

Frank set LJ on his feet when they reached the front door and knelt down to his level.  The worried look on the little boy's face was enough to break his heart.  "No, darlin'.  Mommy's a little upset with Daddy right now, but I promise everything will be okay."

"Okay, Daddy," LJ responded, touching a tiny hand to his father's cheek.  

Frank headed directly upstairs with LJ and started the bath for the children.  It wasn't unusual for them to have their dinner with their grandfather if he and Shay worked late as they had tonight.  He heard Shay talking softly to their daughter as they ascended the stairs and he set the small bath seat in the tub for Ariel.   

He undressed LJ quickly and lifted him into the tub.  "Okay, Little Man...time to get wet."

LJ giggled madly and splashed playfully when he was set into the shallow filled tub.  He looked up when Mommy entered the room with Airy and set her in the seat at the other end of the tub.  Normally bath time was fun and both Mommy and Daddy played and laughed, but tonight no one spoke, no one even smiled.  He and Airy were bathed quickly, dried off, and dressed in their pajamas.

Just as quietly, both parents put the children to bed.  First Ariel in her crib and then to LJ's room to tuck him in for the night.  Frank and Shay each kissed his forehead and whispered a "goodnight" before turning out the light and heading for the door.

"Mommy?" LJ called before they reached the door.

"Yes, baby?" Shay responded and turned back to kneel beside the bed.

"Please don't be mad at Daddy anymore," he whispered.

Shay watched as a tiny trail of tears traveled down his cheek.  What a heartbreaking sight; her son was just too perceptive for his age.  "It's going to be fine, sweetheart.  Don't you worry."  She wiped his tears away with a tender hand.  

"Love you."

"Love you too, Jake.  Sleep tight." 

Frank and Shay backed out of the room and closed the door softly behind them.  Out in the hallway they stared wordlessly at each other, neither quite knowing what to say to the other.

Shay couldn't stand the silence a moment longer.  "I want you to move out," she demanded softly.  The sight of his eyes darkening from a deep brown to almost coal black would have frightened the normal person.  She was not about to be intimidated.

"I'll do no such thing," he replied gruffly as he took her arm and lead her to the master bedroom.  Once behind closed doors he continued, "I'm not leaving you or the kids.  This whole thing is a paperwork fiasco.  It doesn't change _anything_ between us."

"It changes EVERYTHING!" she screamed, pulling away from him and moving to the bed.  

"Baby, I know you're upset...and you have every right to be, but if you just give it some time we'll get it all worked out.  Nothing has changed..."  He reached for her but she backed away from him.

"You're oh so wrong, Agent Donovan.  Many things have changed in the matter of a few minutes.  I have never legally been your wife.  I've lived in sin with you.  I'm the mother of your bastard children!"  She could tell her blood pressure had reached an ungodly level; she could actually hear the blood pumping through her brain.  The roar it caused behind her ears was almost deafening.

She was beginning to worry him; he could read the hysteria in her eyes.  "Our children are not bastards, Ash.  Just give us a chance to get this mess straightened out.  In the meantime..."  She distracted him when she moved toward the stereo and flicked it on.   He supposed it was her attempt to drown out the sound of their angry voices in case the children were still awake.

_How fucking perfect_, she thought when the music began.  It was as if the radio gods were feeling her pain and anguish.  

No, I would not sleep in this bed of lies 

_So toss me out and turn in_

_And there'll be no rest_

_For these tired eyes_

_I'm markin' it down to learnin'_

_I am_

"Frank...I just can't be with you right now," she cried softly as she eased herself down onto the bed.  "You're someone else's husband."

He moved to the bed and knelt before her.  "Ashling, you are the only woman who I've ever taken as my wife."

I don't think that I can take another empty moment 

_I don't think that I can fake another hollow smile_

_Well, it's not enough just to be lonely_

_I don't think that I could take another talk about it._

"Please don't call me that," she whispered.

He watched agonized as the tears slid down her cheeks.  He was the cause of her pain, him and his stupid lack of follow through.

Just like me, you've got needs And they're only a whisper away And we softly surrendered To these lives that we've tendered away But I would not sleep in this bed of lies 

_So toss me out and turn in_

_And there'll be no rest for these tired eyes_

_I'm markin' it down to learnin'_

_I'm markin' it down to learnin'_

'Cuz I can 

"Shay...don't do this to yourself.  Please?  Don't do this to us."  He was not beyond begging, not when it came to her.  And if that is what he had to do, he was more than willing.

I don't want to be the one who turns the whole thing over 

_I don't want to be somewhere where I just don't belong_

_Where it's not enough just to be sorry_

Don't you know I feel the darkness closing in? 

"That's not fair, Frank.  I'm not doing this to us...it was done to us.  I can't help the way I feel...and right now I feel betrayed."  She knew there was no logic to her feelings.  Why did there have to be?  Nothing about this whole damn situation made sense, so why should she?  

"Baby, I can't bear to see you like this.  I'll do anything you want me to do, but I will not leave my home and my family for something as stupid as a piece of paper."  

I tried to be more than me 

_And I gave until it all went away_

_And we've only surrendered_

_To the worst part of these winters that we've made_

_But I would not sleep in this bed of lies_

_So toss me out and turn in_

_And there'll be no rest for these tired eyes_

_I'm markin' it down to learnin'_

_I'm markin' it down to learnin'_

_I am..._

"What I want is to turn back the time to when Daphne Charles did not exist."

Her voice was stern, unyielding and Frank knew he was not going to get through to her.  At least, not tonight.  "If it were in my power to do so, I would."

Shay nodded and moved away from him slightly in order to stand.  "I know you would.  And I know this is not fair to you, but I cannot sleep in the same bed with you.  Not now...not this way," she whispered, stroking her rounded belly.

All that I'll ever be 

_When you...lay your hands over me_

_And don't go weak on me please_

_I know that it's weak_

But God help me, I need this 

"No Shay, it's not fair to either of us and it doesn't make any sense..." he trailed off as he moved up behind her and laid his hands on her shoulders.  

Shay wrenched herself out of his grasp.  "Does it have to?  Does it?  What sense is there in the fact that I'm seven months pregnant and not married to the man I believed I was married to for over two years?  What sense is there in the fact that nothing in my life is as it seems?  What sense is there in the fact that my husband was once married and NEVER mentioned it before his wife darkened my doorstep?!  Tell me, oh he-who-has-the-answer-to-everything!  WHAT SENSE IS THERE IN ANY OF THIS?!"

For one of the few times in his life, Frank Donovan was at a loss.  Shay stood before him, her breasts heaving with the exertion of trying to breathe through her rush of adrenaline.  He had no idea how to make things right for his wife.  "Tell me what you want me to do, Ash.  I'll do anything...just please calm down and try to rest.  It isn't healthy for either you or the baby."

I would not sleep in this bed of lies 

_So toss me out and turn in_

_And there'll be no rest for these tired eyes_

_I'm markin' it down to learnin'_

_I'm markin' it down to learnin' _

_Cuz I can...._

Shay sighed heavily and her shoulders slumped visibly.  "I won't ask you to leave the kids again...please, at least stay in the guest room."

He barely heard her; her voice was so low.  He moved toward her and touched her cheek softly.  "I can do that," he whispered as he leaned in and kissed her lips softly.  "Forgive me for all that is happening, _mon cadeau_.  I love you."  

Shay waited until he had left the room, quietly closing the door behind him, to curl up on the bed.  The tears flowed harshly, wracking her whole body until she fell into a light, tortured sleep.

---

to be continued...


	5. Frankie Makes a Call

He entered the guestroom in the darkness and softly closed the door trying not to disturb the children.  Sitting on the edge of the bed, he picked up the phone from the bedside stand and dialed the Shaw's residence.  

"Jake?"

"Hey Frank...how's Shay?"

"Not good.  Listen...is Frankie close by?"

"Hang on..."

"Hey BigGuy."

"Hey yourself," Frank responded dejectedly.

"That bad?"

"No, it's worse.  Do me a favor, please?"

"Anything."

"Call Shay...try to calm her down.  I think she's near hysteria."

"She may very well be.  Those hormones raging through her would do it all by themselves.  Add this peach of a situation and you're talking Hormonal Hiroshima."

"Yes, well...I'm no doctor, but her blood pressure has got to be through the roof.  You know that's not good for either her or..."

"Little boy Donovan," she finished for him.  "Hang up, BigGuy, so I can call Sistah and see what I can do."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet."

"Too late, Frankie.  Take care of her, okay?"

"You know it, BigGuy.  Now get off the damned phone so I can call her."

Frank chuckled and hung up.  On the other end, Frankie stood at the kitchen table, the phone in one hand and the other resting on the back of a chair.  Absentmindedly, she tapped her chin with the stubby antenna of the cordless phone as she ran some thoughts and images through her head.  But, try as she might, all she could see was the hateful looks Daphne kept throwing at Shay.

"What'd Frank want, baby?"

Frankie blinked and turned around.  Jake was stretched out on the sofa with a now sleeping Jessie in his arms.  How he always managed to get the heathen child to sleep, she'd never figured out.  Smiling softly, she picked up the light blanket on the end of the sofa and moved over to his side.  Jake shifted, putting his feet on the coffee table and allowing Frankie to curl up next to him.  She covered up the baby and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I kind of relate to what Shay's going through."

"You do?"

"Yeah.  I kind of lost you there for a while myself, while pregnant."

"Well, that was different.  You were with me then."

"True, but it's pretty much the same.  I didn't have Jake, I had Jace.  Suddenly, I had lost my husband and I wasn't myself anymore either.  Poor Shay, she's literally lost her husband and isn't who she knew she's been for the last few years."  She drifted off, back in thought, running things through her mind from the two times she'd been in Daphne Charles' presence.

"Hey," Jake nudged gently as he watched his wife drift off with 'that look' on her face.  The last time she had that look; they broke the case wide open.  "What's on your mind?"

Frankie smiled and stretched up to kiss her husband's lips tenderly.  "I have to make a call."

*****

Shay heard the phone ringing and rose up fumbling for the annoying thing.  She had been trying to sleep for the last ten or so minutes and had no luck.  She just could not sleep without Frank beside her.

"Hello?"

"Sistah."

"Oh, Frankie!"  Another round of fresh sobs escaped her.

Frankie sighed softly and wrapped Jake's free arm around her shoulder.  "Calm down girlfriend.  This ain't doin' you or your son one damned bit of good.  Shay…" she waited until there was a pause.  "Shay, listen to me.  I want you to relax and listen to me."

"You… you don't understand…"

"Actually, I understand more now than you think.  Don't give Daphne Charles the victory.  This is what she wants."

"What do you mean?"  Shay sat up slowly, the softer sobs dying off completely.

"See if you can follow me for a second."  She sat up and turned to face Jake, tucking her feet up under her.  "Put yourself in her place for a second-"

"Oh now that's too much to ask Frankie!" Shay cried incredulously.

Frankie sighed and waited.  "Finished yet?  Good.  Seriously, put yourself into her role.  You're a CIA operative-"

"How did you know that?"

"Huh? Oh Jake told me.  Anyway, you marry Frank for an assignment.  As far as he's concerned, it's an assignment only.  But...you want more, you want him and this marriage is the perfect opportunity to get closer to him and attempt to seduce him.  But, when it's over, he signs the papers without a care and kicks your ass to the curb without a thought."

"Now I'm angry and hurt."

"A lethal combination in someone with Daphne's personality.  This whole thing ain't about reclaiming her marriage to Frank.  It's about hurting him, making him suffer like she's suffered.  She doesn't love him and, at this point, it's not about wanting him back."

"There is just one problem."

"And that is?"

"She's got the legal documents to prove that she's married to Frank.  He says he signed the annulment papers and witnessed her signing them, but he doesn't know what became of them."

"Then someone needs to find them.  In the mean time, put your brain to use.  How do you solve the problem of an unwanted marriage?"

"You end it."  The light bulb began to shine and suddenly Shay was following Frankie's logic.  "You end the sonofabitch."

"Now you're cookin'.  Don't back down.  I watched you yesterday morning stand up to Daphne Charles and assert your authority.  Hell's Bells girlie, you shoved your wedding ring down my throat enough times the first time we met, so why should a little china doll like Charles break your will?  And don't give me any of that hormonal crap.  If I can stand up to my mother," she gave Jake a look, "then you can stand up to Daphne Charles."

"Then get off your PI butt and help me out here," Shay demanded, slightly amused.

"Got a pen?"

Ten minutes later Frankie hung up from talking to Shay and was leaning back up against Jake's shoulder as he rubbed Jessie's back.  "Shay's going to need some help in these matters."

"Frankie…"

"Now don't 'Frankie' me, Jacob Aaron Shaw.  You knew all along I was going to stick my nose into this."

"If you'd let me finish."  He waited until he knew she wasn't going to retort and then he continued.  "As I started to say, if you do this, you watch your butt.  Deirdre told Frank that Daphne's got someone else helping her on this.  They don't know who, but apparently this associate of hers has some great strings.  If they can re-write history and get Frank married to Daphne, then there's no telling what they can do to you."

"I'm always careful, darlin'!"  At Jake's doubtful look, Frankie chuckled and kissed his cheek.  "I will.  I just need a traveling buddy."

Jake groaned as she picked up the phone and dialed.

"Hullo?" came the sleepy voice.

"Alex!"

"Oh crap," she sighed.  "You're calling me at what time of night?"

"Oh get over it.  I got a question."

"You always do.  OK - speak, I'm fully awake now."  Alex sat up in bed and flicked the lamp on beside her bed.

"I was wondering how your love life was."

Alex's jaw dropped.  "You certainly picked one hell of a time to catch up on my love life!"

Frankie elbowed Jake, who was laughing as quietly as he could.  "I'm serious.  Last I heard Christian was doing a promo tour for his surfing business, primarily his surfboards."

"Uh, ok, I'll bite.  Yeah, he is.  He's in D.C. this week.  Although, who the hell in D.C. is gonna buy surfboards, I have no idea."

"I think it's time you got a little visit from your candyman.  Meet me at the airport tomorrow morning say…. 9 am?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope."

"Oh, Goody."

Frankie grinned as she hung up the phone.  "What?"

Jake shook his head and stood up slowly so as not to disturb his sleeping angel.  "Well, schemer… if I'm in charge of the SOG while Frank's on suspension, and you're in D.C. with Alex helping her refresh her love life, who's gonna take care of Jessie?  I'm only asking because I'm going on the assumption that Grammy Dee is gonna go to D.C. here in a day or so."

"Have faith, Jake.  Have Faith."  She grinned as he shook his head again.  Have faith indeed.

********


	6. Shay's Decision

He had been awake for a couple of hours and had already fed the children their breakfast before he heard her moving about upstairs.  He was not sure how the day was going to go, but at least she was getting out of bed.  

He looked up from the newspaper when she entered the den, dressed crisply in a midnight blue maternity suit dress, cell phone held to her ear.   He watched her as she knelt down to kiss LJ, who was busy watching Sesame Street, on the top of the head.  She picked up Ariel, who held her arms outstretched to her mother, with her free arm and balanced her easily on her hip.  

"Are you sure you don't mind?  Yes, twelve o'clock.  We have a meeting with him at one o'clock.  Right.  Thanks again, Katie."  

Shay ended the call and just as he was about to ask her what was going on, her cell phone rang again.  "Hello.  Mmm..yes.  Did you get my message?  Yes...please have them sent to Winchester Adams' offices by one o'clock.  Thank you, Deirdre."

By this time, Frank had set the newspaper aside and sat forward in the easy chair.  "What are you up to, Shay?"  

"I'm up to..." she started as she set Ariel beside her brother.  "Look Airy...it's Elmo...we love Elmo, don't we?"  She smiled softly when Ariel giggled and began singing along with Elmo, not quite making any sense of her words.  Shay righted herself and headed back to the easy chair.  "I'm up to getting _my_ husband and _my_ marriage back," she declared, defiantly lifting her chin.  Her sky blue eyes shone resolutely.

Frank blinked and then blinked again.  _What the hell did she and Frankie talk about last night?_  "You've solved the mystery of where those Annulment papers are?"  

"Hell no," she answered brightly as she slid onto his lap.  "But here's the thing..." She wrapped her arms around his neck and touched her forehead to his, "I don't ever want to spend another night without your arms around me.  And if all this anguish I'm feeling is over a stupid piece of paper...well...damn it, I'll get another piece of paper."

He chuckled and hugged her fiercely.  "Welcome back, Ash."  

"Oh, Frank," she sighed and laid her head on his shoulder.  "I was so unreasonable and so cruel last night.  I barely slept and when I did, I woke almost immediately each time and wanted to go to you..."

"Same here," he whispered as he stroked her belly.  Shay lifted her head and gasped and he jumped slightly when they both felt the baby kick.  "So what's this big plan of yours?" he asked, dipping his head to tenderly kiss her belly. 

"I...I..." she stammered when Frank rose up to nibble and kiss the delicate area of her neck where it met her shoulder.  "God, I can't think when you do that; you're making me crazy."  She squirmed slightly as the desire set in.

"Stop wiggling around," he commanded with amusement.  "You're making me more than a little crazy."

Shay laughed softly when she felt the evidence of his desire against her posterior.  "Er...sorry," she half-heartedly apologized while enjoying the feel of his lips caressing the skin of her neck.  

"Uh..no, don't apologize.  Just promise you'll take care of the problem later," he smirked.

Shay eyed the children who still sat intently watching their favorite Muppets.  "Yup, later...you have no idea how horny pregnant women get," she joked.

"I seem to recall..." he whispered, his lips just a breath away from hers.  His eyes slid shut when his lips crushed to hers; once again claiming what was his and she claiming what was hers.  Both moaned as they rediscovered their need and quenched their desperate thirst for each other.  

Frank pulled away suddenly.  "You still haven't told me what you're up to."

Shay smiled slyly.  "Well, it may be a pointless effort, but you are going to sue Daphne Charles for divorce."  She almost laughed when he raised his eyebrow.  Instead, she traced a finger along that brow.  "Look...if the investigation proves fruitless and we don't discover what happened to those annulment papers, we can already have started the ball rolling in suing for divorce."

"It's worth looking into," Frank commented and brushed his knuckles softly along her cheek.

"Right.  Frankie gave me the name of the best divorce lawyer here in town and he agreed to meet with us today."  She nodded confidently before kissing him soundly.

"You've been busy this morning.  And Katie and Deirdre are?"

"Katie is coming over to sit with the kids because Dad's busy trying to gain access to your old CIA case files.  Deirdre is sending copies of those marriage documents and affidavits of your character to Mr. Adams' office.  It won't be easy and I'm sure Miss Charles will make this ugly, but I want to...need to...do this, Frank," she insisted.

"Then we'll do it.  In the meantime, with the team's help, we may find those missing documents and it will save us a tremendous amount of stress.  If not, we'll do it the hard way," he assured.

"I didn't get a chance to tell you this yesterday, or last night, Frank," she confessed as she curled back up to him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"What's that, baby?" he asked softly while noting that LJ had turned toward them and smiled brightly at the sight of his parents as he was used to seeing them.

"I love you, Franklin Paul Donovan."

He closed his eyes and held her tightly.  Only a day had passed since she had said those words to him and yet during that day he felt as if a lifetime had gone by, leaving him empty.  Hearing those words again filled him to the brink and he was once again whole.  "And I love you, Shay Ashling Donovan."

*****

"So what did Lawyer Adams have to say?" Jake asked when Frank and Shay entered the nest.

Frank shrugged.  He helped Shay into a seat at the briefing table before taking one beside her.  "He's drawing up the necessary documents to serve to Daphne as soon as I can provide an address for him to deliver them.  Needless to say, he thought this was one bizarre case."

Shay nodded.  "Well it is bizarre, to say the least.  Of course, we expect that she'll refuse to sign them.  But it's the first step.  When and if the time comes, we will take her to court.  The outcome will then depend on testimony regarding the particular case that required Frank to marry the woman to begin with.  That's in Daddy's hands right now.  If all goes as expected, he should have the file pertaining to the case by tomorrow."

"Hey guys!" Cody greeted upon entering the room.  

"Hey, Code," Shay greeted him with a smile.  "So when are we getting together to make plans for the Forrester/Fellows wedding?"

Cody laughed and patted her on the shoulder.  "Good question.  Might help if Katie could decide on a date."

"That would be a help," she agreed.  

"Cody, do we have a local address on Daphne Charles?" Frank asked bringing the subject back to the matter at hand.

"Just the hotel she's been staying at."

"She checked out last night," Jake supplied.  "Alex called in this morning and said Charles checked out of the hotel and boarded a flight to Washington, D.C."

"Her home of record is in D.C.," Cody added, handing Frank a sheet of paper with her home address.

Frank passed the sheet to Shay, who pushed out of her chair and went to the computer console.  "I'll email this to Adams so he can have those papers served ASAP."

Frank chuckled and winked at Jake.  "I think she could move mountains right now if it meant having Daphne served faster."

Jake smirked.  "And I know a certain PI and female agent who would give all to help move those mountains.  Frankie and Alex are in D.C. as we speak."

"Good...good," Frank commented, his eyes fixed on Shay's every movement.  "Keep me informed, yes?"

"Count on it, Boss," Jake confirmed. 

Cody's laughter interrupted their conversation.  "Damn Shay...you have your lawyer on Instant Messaging?"

Shay made a face at Cody before answering.  "Ha...he's very determined.  Apparently Frankie's on his list of favorite Private Investigators and she helped him win some mighty big cases.  And...he and Dad are members of some hoity-toity country club..."

"Pays to have friends in high places."

"Yeah, right, Code.  My life is just a bowl of cherries..." she snapped sharply.

'Yeowch."

"Ooh, sorry," she apologized quickly.  "Hormones."

Frank and Jake laughed at the familiar banter between the two of them.  "So what does Adams have to say, Ashling?"

"He says...he's sending the paperwork overnight to D.C. and Miss Charles will be served by noon."  

"I'd like to be a fly on the wall when she gets those," Cody commented.

"I'd like to be a fist in her face," Shay commented under her breath.

Cody leaned down and whispered, "I'll hold her for you."

Shay couldn't help but giggle like a schoolgirl.  "Oh Cody...thank you."  

"Anytime partner."

Shay stood and hugged the gangly agent fiercely.  

"Shay...Shay...I can't breathe!" Cody laughed as they separated from each other.  

Frank stood and went to her side, sliding his arm around her waist.  "I think it's time to get you home.  You're getting a little to _familiar_ with your co-worker for your husband's peace of mind."

"Yeah, right," she retorted.  "You're just looking to solve that little problem from earlier this morning."

He nodded as he ushered her toward the door.  "Of course.  What else would I be thinking about?"  

"You two kids have fun," Cody called out as the Donovans waved their goodbyes to him and Jake.  "Wow, I'm having a weird deja vu."

Jake nodded.  "Only she wasn't pregnant back then." **

**See "Cruel Misunderstanding" by TheDreamyOne and Gypsy  http://fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=839286

*****


	7. A Simple Love

After making sure LJ and Ariel were sleeping soundly, Shay joined Frank in their bedroom.  She moaned loudly as she lowered herself to sit on the edge of the bed.  "You okay, baby?" she heard Frank call from the master bath.  "Back's really sore tonight, Tiger," she replied as he entered the room. 

Shay looked up to see him standing before her, naked as the day he was born.  "Well, hello," she exclaimed.  

"What?!" he asked mischievously.  "C'mon, let me help you undress.  I'll rub your back; maybe it will make you feel better."

Shay laughed as he helped her stand and began undressing her.  "Yes and funny how those backrubs almost always lead to making _you_ feel better."

"Now, Shay...how can you say such a thing?  As if I have an ulterior motive."  Of course he did, he was a man crazy in love with his wife and needed her desperately.  "Now, lie down on your side and I'll rub your back," he ordered softly once the hindrance of her clothing had been dealt with.

Shay nodded and slid between the sheets that he held for her and rolled onto her side with her back to him.  Frank slid in behind her and propped himself up on one elbow as he gently kneaded the muscles at the small of her back.

She moaned pleasurably as his hand worked its magic on her aching back.  "You're hired," she teased.  A sensual moan escaped her when his fingers slid down to her buttocks.  

Frank leaned down to kiss and nibble the delicate flesh of her shoulder.  His hand moved slowly from her backside around to tenderly stroke her rounded belly before cupping her breast and teasing the hardened nipple between his thumb and forefinger.

"Um...ah...ooh, you're not playing fair," she cried, covering his hand with her own, stopping his delightful torment.

"Hmmm...are you trying to tell me you don't want me?" he asked softly against her ear as he pressed himself fully against her.

Feeling the evidence of his desire against the back of her thigh, Shay turned her head enough to lock eyes with him.  "Of course I do...it's just the further I get along with this baby, the more difficult it gets to love you the way I want to."

Frank chuckled and moved slightly to allow her room to turn onto her back.  "Ash, only a couple more months and you can have me any way you want.  In the meantime, I'll take you any way I can get you."  

Shay's eyes flashed with need when Frank knelt between her thighs.  He moved over her to kiss her passionately, conveying his need for her.  Spreading his knees slightly, he grasped her by the hips and slid her up over his thighs.  Leaning forward just enough, he entered her slowly until he was fully sheathed within her.  

Shay moaned as he moved within her; his thrusts were tempered in his attempt to make her as comfortable as possible.  She loved the feeling of him moving within her; his need to be one with her never ceased to amaze her.  She had asked him once how he could possibly find her sexually stimulating while her body was contorted with child.  His response had been a simple "I love you".  

Frank groaned madly when Shay reached out and ran her fingertips across the muscles of his chest.  She circled one flat nipple before pinching it none too gently between her fingers, that simple action bringing him closer to his release.  He brought a hand to her sex and stroked her in rhythm to his thrusts, causing her to quiver and shake with each touch of his fingers, each thrust of his manhood inside of her.  

Shay's breathing was labored as she cried out with the delirium of her climax.   She felt Frank tense and heard his rapturous moans as he spilled his seed within her.  He gently pulled away from her and spooned in behind her when she rolled onto her side.  His breath was rough and hard against her neck as he kissed her tenderly just under her earlobe.  It was then that he heard her soft sobs.  "Baby? Did I hurt you?" he asked anxiously.

Shay reached up and stroked his cheek softly.  "No, my darling."

He kissed her palm lovingly before burying his face in her hair.  "Why are you crying?"

"I love you," she answered simply.

"And that makes you cry?"

"Darling, if you told me you had a hangnail, I'd cry.  These hormones are making me crazy," she teased.  

"Well, I don't have a hangnail," he teased back.  "But I will tell you I love you.  With every fiber of my being."

Shay sighed happily.  "And that, my beautiful husband, is why I'm crying," she admitted as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.  "That we found each other, that we have all that we have together, is just so amazing to me.  You are my world, Frank Donovan."

He kissed her shoulder softly as she snuggled back against him.  "And you're mine, Ash.  As it should be...as it will always be.  Get some rest, baby," he said, hearing her sudden yawn.  "It was a tough day for you."

Shay nodded and drifted off to sleep safe within his arms.

*****


	8. The Paper Trail

"So what did they give you, Dad?" Frank spoke into the speakerphone in his home office.  

Shay heard the ringing of the fax machine from her vantage point in the den where she sat watching cartoons with LJ and Ariel.  "Stay put, Little Man," she ordered, patting him on the head.  She put Ariel in her playpen and then went across the hall to the office, leaving the door open to keep an eye on the children. 

"It should be coming over the fax now, Frank.  I've sent a copy to the nest, also," Thomas informed him.

"It's coming through now, Dad," Shay acknowledged, pulling the sheets off the machine as they spit out.  

"Here, too," Cody was heard through the speaker.  Frank had them all on a conference call.

"You there, Jake?" Frank called, flipping through the pages Shay handed him.

"Here," Jake acknowledged.  

Frank heard an irritated hiss from the speaker and knew Jake was trying to read the pages that were printing out.  Each page was littered with large black patches, concealing top-secret information.  "You didn't actually think they would release sensitive information, did you?" 

"How about some clue as to what the hell this woman is about?" Jake growled.  "This doesn't tell us shit."

Frank smiled softly at Shay who was skimming over the same documents.  "The most important thing we need to know is on those documents."

Shay chewed on her bottom lip as she read over the pages.  "I have to agree with Jake.  This is a bunch of...holy shit!" she exclaimed.

Frank chuckled when Shay looked up from the pages and made eye contact with him.  "What did you find, Shay?"

"Documents filed by clerk 9376418," she cried excitedly, reading the stamped markings from the pages.  "Oh man...we just have to find who..."

"Frederick Maxwell Martin," Thomas announced clearly.  

"Damn, Dad...that was fast," Shay remarked.

"Hey, I wasn't the head of the CIA for nothing," he teased.  "I'm off, kids.  I'll check with you later to see if there's anything else I can do to help."

"We'll track down this Martin guy and get the information to Alex," Jake assured, ending the conference call on his end.

Frank clicked off the speakerphone just as Shay gasped and clutched her abdomen.  "Ashling?" He jumped from his chair and ran to her side.  

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she assured as he helped her to sit on the small couch in the office.  "I think you've got a linebacker here, daddy."  She smiled reassuringly and hugged him tightly.

"Damn...I'm getting as jumpy as I was with Ariel."  He shook his head and kissed her forehead.  "Baby, I'm worried about you and all the stress this is putting you under."

She curled up into his embrace as he leaned back against the couch.  "No more than you.  You've not said much on the whole subject.  You've been suspended, your life is in an uproar, and all you seem to care about is..."

"You," he finished.  He stroked her hair lovingly.  "I haven't done anything wrong, Ash, so I'm not going to waste my time worrying about my job.  If I never go back, I'll deal with that, but I will never accept anything that affects you negatively." 

"I won't go back without you," she admitted, nuzzling his neck.  "We've given the government enough of our lives or they've taken what they've wanted."  She sighed heavily when he tightened his embrace.  

"It's going to be all right, Ashling.  Alex and Frankie are going to track down the information we need to straighten this mess out.  In the meantime, Miss Charles will be served those papers today.  The wheels are turning, baby."  Frank looked down when he felt his pant leg being tugged. 

"Daddy...is Mommy okay?" LJ asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, sweetie," Shay assured and rubbed her belly.  "Your baby brother is rather active today and making Mommy very tired."

LJ nodded as if he understood exactly what she was going through.  "When will he get here, Mommy?  I wanna meet him."

Frank lifted LJ up onto his knee and Shay took his little hand and placed it on her stomach.  "Do you feel that, Jake?"  When LJ nodded, she said, "That's your baby brother.  He's growing every day and in just a short while, he'll be too big for Mommy to carry and will be here with you."

LJ smiled happily and snuggled into his parent's embrace.  "Can I name him?"

Frank and Shay laughed softly and Frank replied, "We'll all decide, if that's okay with you, Jake?"

"Okay, daddy," he agreed and kissed both parents on the cheek before climbing off their laps and going back to the den to watch his cartoons.

"Kids," Shay said, laughing.

Frank grinned and leaned down to kiss the swell of her stomach.  "They amaze me every day."

****

Irritably, she pushed away the lock of hair that fell across her forehead before inserting the key to her apartment in the lock.  

"Excuse me?  Daphne Charles Donovan?"

She turned quickly to find a young man dressed in a cheap off the rack business suit.  "Yes?"

"A delivery, Ma'am.  If you'll sign here, please?" he said, holding the clipboard steady for her to sign.  Once her signature had been scrawled on the appropriate line, he released the large manila envelope to the extremely beautiful woman.  "Have a nice day," he called and left her to open what he knew would be bad news.

She grimaced at the envelope and then pushed open the door to her apartment.  Once inside, she tore open the flap and pulled out the document.  She stared at it for a moment before releasing a wicked laugh.  "Oh, if you think you can get rid of me this easy, Frank Donovan...you've got another think coming."  She glanced toward the back of the apartment briefly before picking up her purse and heading back out the door.

********

To be continued...


	9. A Chance Encounter

Alex and Frankie walked leisurely down Pennsylvania Avenue.  To the passersby, they looked like tourists, but in reality they were waiting for a phone call from Alex's interim boss with any information that Thomas Renquist could unearth on the case that Frank had gone undercover as the husband of one Daphne Charles.  In the meantime, Alex was looking forward to seeing someone very special.

"Yo! Cross!" Both Alex and Frankie turned in time to see Christian Kelley dashing across the busy street, dodging vehicles along the way.

"Christian!" Alex called, running to meet him and was swept happily into his arms for a lengthy, heated kiss.

Frankie waited patiently while the two reacquainted themselves.  She wished Jake would call with some information that they could investigate and as if on cue, she heard Alex's phone chirp across the short distance.  "Answer your phone, Alex!" Frankie yelled.

"Okay, okay!  Cross," Alex spoke into the small phone.  

"Alex...we've got a name.  Frederick Maxwell Martin...clerk number 9376418.  Find him, and you may find the answer to those missing documents."

"Anything else, Jake?"

"Yeah...pass the phone to Frankie..."

Alex passed off the phone to Frankie and resumed her re-introduction to Christian.

"Yeah babe?"

"We've got someone who might be able to shed some light.  He's a file clerk, Frederick Martin.  Alex has his clerk number.  From what we can tell, he's the one who filed all of the necessary documents with the District of Columbia to process the application for Frank and Daphne's 'marriage'."

"Don't say that word in association with her.  She makes Caroline look little Suzy Homemaker."

Jake laughed a bit and sighed.  "Be careful.  I can't tell you that enough."

"I know baby… hang on."  She covered the phone with her hand and turned to Alex and Christian.  "Hey, get a room!!  We haven't got all day you know."

"Oh chill, Private Dick!"  Christian yelped playfully as Frankie took a swipe at him and then returned to the phone call.  

"I'm back.  I got to go.  It's getting on to lunch time here and if we don't go pay Mr. Martin a visit immediately afterwards, we might never get a hold of him."

"Francesca."

"Yes?"

"Keep your cool.  I know you want to kick Daphne Charles' butt from the Potomac to the Pacific, but you can't do it through Frederick Maxwell Martin, OK?"

"Frederick Maxwell Martin.  What a geek.  I bet the kids in school tormented him endlessly."

"Well, if they did or not, it's not our business.  Get the documents or get his statement about them.  Deirdre is in D.C. as well.  Apparently she flew back last night after her talk with Frank.  If you get anything, you go straight to her, let her know at all times where you are until this investigation is over with, got it?"

"Got it Jake.  Lighten up - nothing's going to happen to Alex or me.  I'm gonna dash, I see a bistro that's calling my name."

--

"What's so urgent, Daphne?" he asked, joining her at a small table at a sidewalk cafe not far from her apartment.

"Look at this," she demanded, tossing him the papers she had been served.  "The bastard thinks he can divorce me."

"He can try."

"Perhaps it's time to give him something else to think about?" she suggested, grinning evilly.

"Do you think that's wise?" the man asked.

"Look...you want to ruin his life as much as I do.  That pitiful excuse he has for a wife has her hooks into him deep and she won't let go easily.  If we toss something else at them, something with a bit more teeth than just a forgotten marriage...it may split them apart."

"You may be right, Daph...but there's a chance nothing will change."

"Maybe, maybe not...but I've waited a long time to get a little satisfaction.  I mean to make the man squirm..."

"Fine...do your damnedest.  But I warn you...if they discover a connection between us, nothing will save you."

--

Christian leaned back in his chair, reveling in the silence of being alone for the first time in the last thirty minutes.  Since Alex and Frankie had sat down, they only stopped chattering long enough to order their lunch.  They filled him in as to why Frankie was there in addition to Alex's presence.  He felt for Frank and Shay, he really did.  And he knew that this was part of Alex's job.  But just once, he'd like to see her under NON work-related premises.

A movement caught his attention and he turned to see who it was.  A beautiful woman, very beautiful from this distance, came stalking down between the tables and threw something down in front of the man sitting at a nearby table.  She appeared to be rather pissed off about something in that manila envelope.  When she turned her head and looked around, he recognized her from the photograph that Frankie had shown him during lunch.  '_Holy Shit!  I hope to God that she doesn't see Frankie and Alex!'  Unconsciously he strained his ears to see if he could pick up on what she was saying…_

Frankie and Alex were coming out of the bathroom when Frankie's hand flipped up and stopped Alex in her tracks.  "Cross… wait…"

"Now what?"

"Look."  Frankie pointed to Daphne seated across the patio from their table.  "Sssssssssshitballs!  I hope to high hell she didn't see us here."

"Look there.." Alex pointed to Christian, who was apparently listening to what she was saying to … someone.  Alex moved around and squinted, but she never could get a definite glimpse of the man with Charles.  At least she guessed it was a man.  Could have been a stoutly built woman, too.  "God I love that man.  He's eavesdropping.  Hey, grab that table and wait until she leaves before going back out there.  We can't risk her knowing we're here in D.C. until we blow her story out of the water."

Frankie and Alex grabbed a table inside the door to the patio, out of sight of Daphne and her lunch guest.

They both kept looking back and forth between Daphne and her companion and each other.  "I think she's been served…" Frankie giggled. 

"Jesus I would have KILLED to have been a fly on the wall when she got the papers."

"Ssshhh… there she goes… damn, she's up to something.  I can see that look on her face."

"What look?"

"The kind Frank gets when he's dissecting something… the kind Jake is developing."  Frankie groaned.

"He is turning into another Frank."

"Don't I know it.  Jesus Alex, please tell me that nothing like this is gonna happen to me in the next few years."

"I doubt it.  The one time he and I had to pose as married, I KNOW it won't be a problem.  Cody faked the records masterfully.  I love Jake to death, but it wasn't pretty being FAKE married to him, let alone REALLY married to him."

"Tell me about it.  All right, coast is clear.  Seems her lunch date is gone, too.  Let's grab Christian and see what he's got for us."

****

to be continued...


	10. Snoopin' in the Boy's Room

Frankie frowned, her eyes a slate color as she leaned over the counter and growled at the clerk.  "What the fuck do you mean you can't tell me that?!"

"You heard me miss."  The clerk backed up a bit and pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.  "I can't give you that information."  He looked the woman up and down disdainfully.  Such language was certainly up her alley, dressed as she was in a pair of tight leather pants, a pair of spike heeled leather boots and short jacket over a tank top.  What bothered him was that she was poking into Miss Charles' files.

"Oh you most certainly can, Mr. Martin!"  She reached down out of his line of sight.  The clerk screamed like a girl and cringed before he peeked one eye open to look at her hand.  He'd been expecting a weapon of sorts - instead he found a battered leather wallet with her driver's license and a Private Investigation license for the state if Illinois.

"You're not licensed here in the District of Columbia.  I can't help you."  He said snottily.  
  


It was all Alex could do to keep Frankie from crawling over the counter and down the clerk's throat.  "Look," Alex shoved Frankie towards the waiting chairs and turned a beautiful smile on the wormy looking geek.  "We've got clearance to look into dead case files.  Director Burkholtz has given her authorization.  Besides, the law of the land permits an investigator to view all documents pertaining to his or her case permitting the chain of evidence proves the point."

"Really?"  Frankie blinked, muttering more to herself than to anyone else.  "Damn, I didn't know that…"

The clerk lifted his chin defiantly and stared Alex down.  "I can't show you what isn't here.  I'm sorry, but the files for Agent Charles and Agent Donovan are not here."

Frankie shot up out of the chair and glared thunderously at him.  The clerk and the staff behind him, who up to this point, had been trying to keep from laughing at the whole situation, all cringed back a step.  "They... WHAT?"

"They are not here.  For a file that old, you would have to go to the archives.  Which means a file request form," he laid one out on the desk in front of them.  "Then you'd have to wait 5 days for the file to be located…" his voice faltered at the murderous glares he was getting from both women.  "Um, then you'd have to… have… a security escort to the building…"

Frankie snarled as she whirled around and threw the door open in front of her.  Alex followed her as she stalked out into the hallway.

"I can't believe it… I can't GODDAMNED BELIEVE IT!!"

"Believe it.  This is the Federal Government.  If they can't change your mind, they'll bury your ass in paperwork."

"He knows something, Alex… I can feel it."  Frankie headed down the hallway.

"I really don't get you, Frankie."  She held open the door to the ladies' room and followed Frankie in.  Leaning up against the wall near the mirrors, she listened as Frankie reasoned things out in the stall.

"He knows about this fiasco."

"How so?"

"He was all smiles and eager to help until he found out we were looking into the Donovan files.  Then he started stalling and refusing to help."

Alex listened for a moment, then turned her head towards the door as Frankie fell silent for a moment.

"I can't believe it!" the male voice said.  "Yes, there are two women here poking their noses into the old case files - YOUR case files!"

"Alex?"  Frankie leaned over the sink to wash her hands and adjust her clothing as needed.

"Shh!!"  Alex pressed her ear to the door and listened as best she could.  "It's that clerk!"

"What?"  Frankie frowned and stood up from the sink and hurried over.

"It's him!  I heard his voice!  He's talking to someone.  I think he went into the men's room!"

Frankie grinned and winked, then snuck out past Alex.  Tiptoeing down the hall, she paused at the men's door and listened.  "There's definitely someone in there!"

"Get back here!" Alex hissed in a whisper.  "Francesca Marie Shaw don't you dare go in the men's room!"

"You are SO conventional!" Frankie goaded and pushed open the door.

Alex groaned and eased out of the ladies' room and then entered the men's room.  She reached up and silently locked the deadbolt in place as Frankie wrinkled up her nose.  Then it hit her.  Things were definitely different in a guy's bathroom than in a woman's.  "They could use some air freshener in here!" She whispered.

Frankie held her finger to her lips and winked as she tiptoed along the tile floor silently.  There was one stall at the very end that was closed and Frankie motioned Alex to follow her.

Both women listened quietly.  "This is the only place I can make a call where no one in the file room is going to hear me.  I'm the only guy in the office, as you well know…  Yes, they've gone.  I think I got them so frustrated and pissed off that they've given up this end of it.  No, I don't know what specifically they were looking for, but they got nothing out of me."

Frankie smiled evilly and looked at Alex.  Alex's expression was near murder as she listened.  Both of them stood up straight and out of sight from behind the door.  Alex and Frankie both drew their weapons and silently cocked them.

The man sitting on the toilet stopped and listened.  He could have sworn he heard something.  But he leaned forward a bit and peeked as best he could under the door of the stall.  "Yeah, I'm here.  No, I thought I heard something.  No, no one else is in here with me.  Miss Charles, your trust in me is well merited.  I better go.  If I'm gone for longer than 10 minutes, someone will come looking for me.  Yes, thank you, too.  Good-bye."

Frankie looked at Alex, and then held up her left hand to count down.  Three… Two… One…

Fred Martin was just starting to think his day was going smoothly.  He'd put off two very pretty and very insistent women who were looking into something he'd been trusted to keep secret.  His employer, Daphne Charles was beginning to trust him implicitly to keep her secret safe and he'd managed to keep from sitting in something gross this time and ruining his trousers.  His excuse to use the restroom was just that...an excuse; he didn't have to go at all.  He just needed a private place to talk to Miss Charles where no one would interrupt him.  But his day was about to go horribly wrong.

He was reaching for the knob to open the door when he heard something like a tap-tap on the tile floor followed by a momentous BANG and the stall door flying open in his face.  Fred Martin stumbled back and hit the wall, bounced off of the tile wall and landed with a splashing thud in the commode seat underneath him.  For the second time that day he screamed like a girl, the scream echoing off the tile in the men's restroom as he saw the two women from a few minutes ago, guns drawn and held on him, with murder in their eyes.

"Hello, Mr. Martin.  We never got to finish our discussion."

***

to be continued...


	11. Explanations

"All clear?"

Alex looked around the corner down the empty hallway.  "Yeah.  We can make it to the elevator.  Look, call Burkholtz; let her know you're coming to her with Mr. Martin.  I'll go back to the file room and let them know that he's decided to co-operate with us."  She patted his cheek playfully.

"If we get caught, it's tantamount to kid-"

"Ssssshhhhhh!!" Alex hissed.  There's the elevator.. go!"

Frankie took off, hauling a semi-struggling Frederick Martin along with Alex's help.  "Get to a cab, call Deirdre, I'll meet you at her office as soon as I get out of here."

"You'll call Frank?"

"Yeah," Alex said as the doors closed.  "I'll wrap things up here."  She sighed and leaned against the wall.  "Damn that porcelain doll… and damn men's bathrooms."  Pushing off, Alex headed back to the file office and proceeded to explain Mr. Martin's current absence.

Meanwhile, the elevator had reached the lobby and Frankie put on a smile.  With a lobby full of people, this wasn't going to be easy.

"Miss?"

She turned around to see a security guard standing behind her.  "Yes?"

"May I ask what you're doing with this man?  He looks like he's not too happy about something."

"Oh, right.  Well, he's a witness in a Federal Investigation who's not too thrilled to be found.  But," Frankie clapped him roughly on the shoulder, causing Martin to turn a weak shade of green.  "He's seen the light and is coming back to the office to testify."

The guard looked at her sideways for a moment.  "Do… you have your credentials?  I think I want to see them."

"Sure darlin'.  In my hip pocket."  Frankie jutted her hip out, keeping both hands on Fred in case he got the wrong idea.  "I don't have all day officer."

The guard looked at her hip, then up at her and the people around her.  He felt the sweat popping out on his forehead as he shook his head.  "N-Never mind.  Good luck with the investigation."

Frankie grinned and winked before she turned and jerked Fred Martin upright and pushed him out of the door.  "Smart guard… he doesn't really want a sexual assault case slapped against him… TAXI!!" she yelled in Fred's ear.

Fred sighed and hung his head.  His day had gone from bad to worse.

--

Deirdre looked at Alex and Frankie with a hard glare.  "You two…"

"Now.. Mom…"  Frankie squirmed a bit in her chair.  Usually it was her father that had called her to the carpet and Caroline just smirked… now she had her real mother calling her to task for what boiled down to kidnapping - which was a Federal Crime.

"Don't you 'now Mom' me Francesca Marie Battles Shaw!"  Alex cringed.  "You do realize that what you did is a crime, don't you?!"

"Deirdre, we brought him here.  He didn't even try to escape once!"

"That doesn't matter Agent Cross!  My interrogator is hearing all sorts of things about guns and being locked in the men's room!!"  She sat back in her chair.  "Just what the hell were the two of you doing in the men's room??"

"It was my idea, my fault.  Deirdre, he wouldn't give us what we needed!  I knew he was in on it because as soon as I mentioned Frank's name, he clammed up and started stalling us left and right."

"So you surprise him on the can by kicking in the stall door and holding a gun on him?  I'm surprised he didn't shit himself to death."

"He wasn't trow down, Mom.  He was making an excuse to get out of the office.  We heard him on the phone with Daphne Charles."

Deirdre blinked and leaned forward.  "You what?"

Frankie looked at Alex and the both of them leaned forward.  "Frankie here was about to blow her top, so I shoved her into the ladies' room to cool off a bit.  While in there, I heard a male voice outside in the hallway talking to someone about two women poking their noses into old case files.  He said 'YOUR case files'."  
  


"That's when I snuck out of the bathroom and into the men's room.  He was the only one in there and Alex locked the door behind us so we wouldn't be disturbed.  We both listened for a moment as he kept talking about pushing us around in circles and that we got so frustrated we finally left.  He called her Miss Charles and promised that we'd get nothing out of him, her trust in him was well placed."

Deirdre frowned and nodded.  "We have no way to prove it was actually Daphne Charles on the other end of that call; however, I do think we'll get what we need from your Mr. Martin.  So...there's really little more you can do here."

Alex nodded.  "Very well...if it's all the same to you Frankie...there's a surfer dude waiting for me at the Hilton and I'd _really_ like to check out his moves."

Frankie laughed and patted Alex on the back.  "Go for it, dude.  I'll make arrangements for our flight home in the morning."

"Thanks!" She exclaimed and flew out of the room.

*****


	12. A Walk in the Park

"Thank you for calling," Frank said dejectedly before returning the phone to its cradle.  

"Who was on the phone, Frank?" Shay asked as she entered the kitchen with Ariel balanced on her hip.  

Frank sighed softly and kissed her cheek.  "Our lawyer...Mr. Adams."

Shay lifted a brow in question, but knew the answer before he spoke.  "She's contesting the divorce."  At his nod, she continued, "Well, it isn't like we expected her to just go away.  We'll think of something...Frank?

"Hmmm?" He lifted Ariel into his arms.

"What if we can't find those original papers?  What if she manages to keep your marriage to her legal?"  

"Where's LJ?" he asked suddenly.  

"He's in the den with Katie and Jessie, where he was when you left to answer the phone.  Frank..." she trailed off as she watched Ariel tug happily on her father's earlobe, oblivious to the conversation her parents were having.  

"What would you want to do if she wins,_ Mon coeur?_"  His eyes searched her face for a sign of her feelings, but she remained calm giving no hint of what her thoughts were.

"Who am I, if not Mrs. Frank Donovan?  I don't know who I am anymore..." she sighed and tweaked one of Ariel's curls.  "You've changed my life in so many ways.  How do I go from what I am now...to no one?" 

"With or without me...you will never be 'no one'."  He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his.  "You are an amazing woman.  You're strong, loving, resilient and you have such a good heart."  His hand slid down to cup the side of her neck while his thumb stroked her cheek tenderly.  "My wife or not, you _are_ Shay Donovan.  No one can take away those things that live inside you."

Shay smiled softly and leaned to his touch.  "You forgot pain in the ass," she whispered.

Frank chucked and bounced Ariel on his knee.  "No, I didn't."  At Shay's amused look, he leaned forward and kissed her briefly on the lips.  "Let's take the kids to the park...it will do us all some good."

**Mon coeur – my heart

-- Shay and Katie walked along slowly, pushing Ariel and Jessie in their strollers, while Frank ran to keep up with LJ.   He was right; going to the park seemed to make everything lighter.  Listening to the laughter of the many children playing just seemed to make her troubles disappear.  

"Getting tired, pregnant lady?" Katie asked teasingly.

"Ack...does it show?  Damn, I can barely walk down the stairs anymore without needing a nap," Shay wisecracked and pointed to a nearby bench.  "Let's take a load off, eh?"

Katie chuckled and steered Jessie in the direction Shay indicated.  After Shay settled on the bench, she helped Ariel out of her stroller and onto her mommy's lap.  Katie heard Shay's cell phone ringing while she lifted Jessie from her stroller and reached to pull the phone from Ariel's stroller pack.  

Shay thanked Katie and flipped open the phone.  "Hello....Airy..no," she scolded when Ariel tried to take the phone as a toy.  "Hi, Dad.  Um...at the park.  Can't you tell me now? Okay...see you then."

Frank caught a squealing LJ when he reached the bottom of the small slide.  He looked over at Shay just as she folded her cell phone and smiled when she waved cheerfully.  

"Again, Daddy!" LJ called as he raced around the slide and began the small climb to the top.   

Frank chuckled and followed his son to the ladder to catch him if he slipped, but LJ made his way to the top without mishap.  "Catch me, Daddy!" LJ called as he slid gleefully to the bottom.  

"Is this the same man who runs the SOG?" Katie asked skeptically.

"No," Shay answered simply.  "He separates himself from his job when he's home.  Especially around the babies."

"And which Frank Donovan do you love, Shay?  The hardworking no-nonsense man? Or the loving, playful husband and father?"  

"Damn, that's a loaded question, Katie.  I can't differentiate anymore.  I fell in love with Agent Frank Donovan...that tough, sometimes cruel, heartless hardass.  But there was so much more that he kept hidden, and I've barely scratched the surface."  Shay laughed, watching Frank trail after LJ as he ran from the slide to the swings.  "I could ask you...why you fell in love with Cody."

Katie nodded and bounced Jessie on her knee to the delight of the little tyke.  "Goofy geek or romantic, intelligent man?  Yes, I can see what you mean.  I've not thought of him that way in such a long time...geek, that is."

"No, I don't suppose you'd think of him that way," Shay chuckled.  "When's the date, Katie?  We need to start making plans."

"Let's just say, I'd like you to fit in a Matron of Honor gown," Katie deadpanned.  Katie giggled when Shay's eyes widened in surprise.  "Actually...I hope you don't mind, and it's unconventional, but if Frankie agrees...I'd like to have two Matrons of Honors."

Shay giggled.  "I think she'll be just as thrilled as I am!"  

"Thrilled about what?" Frank asked when he walked up to the women with LJ perched on his shoulders.  

"Wedding plans, baby," Shay responded cheerfully.  "Dad called...he's on his way over...says he has some news."

--

She spied Donovan with his family and steeled herself for the pending battle.  Striding up to the group, she received equally cold stares from each adult.  Not giving them time to react to her presence verbally, she turned to Frank and said, "I'll be damned if you'll toss me out of your life the way you did all those years ago.  I'm tired of living with these lies...it's time you took responsibility for your actions."

Frank lifted LJ from his shoulders and sat him next to Shay on the bench.  He sent her a look of apology before turning back to Daphne.  "We already know you refused to sign the papers, Daphne.  I don't appreciate you stalking my family.  I don't know what you're trying to pull, but what we had was a simple assignment.  Pose as married CIA operatives out to sell government secrets for a quick buck.  That's it Daphne...all of it.  Stop trying to make it something it wasn't."  He nearly grabbed her by the arms to shake the life out of her, and if it weren't for the children, he probably would have.  "Go home, Daphne.  Sign those papers...end this."  He leaned close to her and whispered, "End this...or so help me..."

"So help you," she spat hatefully.  "So help you, you'll finally take responsibility for your son." 

"What..." It was then that he noticed the small, gangly boy that drifted out from behind Daphne's skirt.  He looked to be about ten years old.  His complexion was very fair, his hair a white blonde and his eyes the same light green color as Daphne's.  

"Your son, Frank jr," Daphne informed, spitefully.  "The result of our so-called fake marriage."

"No." Frank answered simply and looked to Shay.  She looked pale except for the bright patches of red on her cheeks.  Her eyes were glazed and he wasn't exactly sure if she was going to cry or scream bloody murder.  

"But...but..." LJ stuttered, breaking into the conversation.  

Shay looked down at her son, his eyes were as large as saucers and looked at the older boy in total confusion and then back to Shay's belly where he knew _his_ brother was hiding.  "My brother is in here," he insisted, patting Mommy's tummy.  

"My son is Frank Donovan's true son," Daphne snapped at the little boy, noting his Hispanic heritage and assumed he was _not Frank's son by blood._

"You bitch," Shay spat, pulling her now teary-eyed son firmly into her embrace with her free arm.  "Katie...please take LJ to the swings."   She kissed the top of his head and whispered, "Everything will be okay, Jake...don't you fret, baby." 

Katie nodded and stood, balancing Jessie on her hip and holding her hand out to LJ, who took it easily after climbing down from the bench.  

Frank ruffled LJ's hair as he and Katie walked past him.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw Frankie and Jake approaching the group.  They stopped to kiss their daughter before kneeling down to speak to LJ.  He saw the look of raw hatred gleaming in Frankie's eyes when she stood and marched over to the group with Jake right by her side.

"Frankie… calm down…" Jake whispered as he almost jogged to keep up with her.  Right as she drew up to a halt, he made a grab for her arm to keep her from flying into Daphne's face.  It was one thing to hurl insults at the adults… it was something entirely different to be so viperous in front of the children.  There were some things that should never be seen by the children.

Frank looked down at the young boy who appeared to be his namesake.  He felt extremely sorry for the youngster and what confusion he must be going through.  Looking back at Daphne, there was no mistaking the child was hers and he pitied the boy.  The Daphne Charles he knew cared for no one but herself.  Cold, calculating, and selfish made up her less charming traits.  To grow up in such an environment could have been nothing less than...detached.  "I won't discuss this in front of the boy."

"The _boy_ is your son," she insisted.

Frankie's eyes narrowed as she took everything in.  Daphne kept saying 'your' son… not 'our' son… she was running another game.

Jake looked down as he heard knuckles popping and saw Frankie's hand clenching tight enough to whiten the knuckles.  This was going to get ugly if Daphne didn't shut up and leave Frank and Shay alone.

Shay leaned to the side a bit to get a better look at the boy.  He seemed frightened and very much ill at ease.  "Frank?  Why don't you run over to the swings and play with LJ and Katie?"  When the boy hesitated to answer, she smiled sweetly.  "It's okay...it'll be fun."  He still seemed unsure, but nodded and ran over to where Katie pushed LJ softly on the swing while still balancing little Jessie on her hip.

"This is impossible.  I never touched you..." Frank finally spoke when "Frank jr." was out of earshot.

"Oh...didn't you?  Isn't there something you're forgetting, Frank?"

Frank bent down to put an arm around Shay's waist and helped her stand.  "I'm forgetting nothing," he insisted.  He nodded to Frankie and Jake when they finally reached the group.

"The end of the case," she continued pointedly.  "Celebration dinner..."

"I..." Frank quieted.  There was something he was forgetting.  There was an entire night of his life missing and it was the night of that celebration.  "...can't remember that night."

"I remember every detail of that night...the night you fathered YOUR son."

Shay tightened her grip on Frank's hand to the point he almost yelped from the pain.  When he looked into her eyes, he saw nothing but love and support and gently squeezed her hand in a silent thank you.

"A simple DNA test will prove what a liar you are," Frankie spat as she hauled off and backhanded the woman. 

"What the hell..." Daphne covered her now bleeding mouth with a hand.  Frankie started to grip Daphne's shoulder in an effort to push her to the ground.  With her training and Daphne's stunned shock, it had the potential to get ugly real quick.  

Jake wrapped his arms around Frankie's waist and hauled her back, kicking and snarling.  "Stop it Francesca Marie!  Not here, not now!!"

"Let me go, Jacob Aaron Shaw, or, so help me God, Jessica will be an only child!" she shrieked, bucking and kicking to get loose.

"Get her out of here Jake!" Frank hollered.  As Jake dragged a scratching and clawing Frankie off to a quiet spot to cool down, Frank turned a lethal glare on Daphne as she wiped the blood from her mouth.

"That little bitch is going to pay for that," she spat.

"No she's not.  I didn't see anything, did you Shay?"

"Not one damned thing," Shay growled out.

"But, if you insist on this, I'll play your game.  Francesca, although hot tempered, is right.  A DNA test will disprove your claim.  YOUR son is not mine.  I have three children already.  Now get out of my sight Miss _Charles."_

Daphne's mouth curled into a sneer, her good looks made into a mocking mask of beauty as she stomped past and yelled shrilly for Frank Jr.  Shay sighed and struggled to sit down again as she heard Frankie's screams matched by Jake's equally terse shouts.

"I would have let her go." Shay said simply, lifting a hand to acknowledge the approach of her father.

"So would I have, if it were possible."  Frank sighed and sat down on the bench, gathering her into his arms.  "What if…"

"We'll deal with it when that 'if' becomes a definite 'yes'.  Until then, we go rescue Jake from Banshee Battles."

--

to be continued...


	13. Wheelin' and Dealin'

"Hello, Mr. Renquist," Frankie greeted amiably enough, although her temper still had the better of her.

Thomas chuckled good-naturedly.  "Please...after all this time, I would think you would feel comfortable enough calling me Tom or Thomas."

Frankie smiled her reply as she took the spot next to Shay on the bench.  "Any word on Martin?"

Thomas nodded and ran a hand through his thick silver hair.  "That's why I'm here.   The bad news first."  When he was sure he had everyone's attention, he continued, "No amount of questioning resulted in Martin confessing to working for Daphne Charles."

Shay groaned and shifted positions.  Frankie patted her leg reassuringly.  "Alex and I still can testify to his talking to her on the phone."

"But you can't prove it was _her_ on the line," Frank interjected as he took Ariel from her mother's lap onto his own.

"True."

"But the good news...Martin has confessed that he did receive the annulment papers and sent them to be processed.  What happened to them from there and why they were never filed with the state is still a mystery."  

"That should go a long way with the Judge, if it comes to taking her to court," Frank commented.  "What do you think, Shay?"

"I think I'd like to go home," she sighed, "and find something a little softer to sit on."

*****

"I wouldn't trust that _thing as far as I can see her," Frankie spat venomously as they all walked into the Donovan household.  Katie had taken all of the kids home with her until later._

"We're all in agreement on that Frankie.  But, what do we do in the meantime?" Jake said as he settled down on the sofa and put a pillow over his eyes.

Frankie glared at Jake, still not forgiving him yet for manhandling her the way he did in the park.  Jake pulled the pillow off of his eyes and lifted his head to meet her glare with an equal intensity.  Frank and Shay watched the silent war of wills between the two for a few minutes, neither one looking away.

"Uh," Frank cleared his throat.  "Frankie, you said something about a DNA test."

Frankie's eyes narrowed one last time before she tore her gaze away from Jake and looked at Frank.  She could read the caution in his eyes in talking to her.  He was watchful of her temper.  "Yes," she said curtly as she turned and stalked back out to the car.

Frank, Jake, and Shay heard the car door open.  They all listened for the engine to turn over.  They looked from one to the other as the car door slammed shut again and soon after the front door opened.  Frankie didn't say a word as she flipped through the little black book in her hand.

Frankie's gray eyes searched through the names in her book.  Doctors, lawyers, detectives, City Council members, judges, Senators and Representatives all littered her book.  One thing about being Caroline Battles' daughter - she was well connected.  After Frankie started up her PI practice, she took a page from her mother and made all sorts of contacts.  Of course, once she started in on her investigations, contacts came one by one and some of them were fairly prominent.  In order to get information from one source, she had to promise something to another source.  The corners of her mouth quirked up in a wry smile as she lifted the phone to her ear and stared punching the buttons.  Not even Jake or Deirdre knew how well connected she was.

Frank looked at Jake, his eyebrows up to his hairline in confusion.  All Jake could do was shrug.  Jake turned to look at his wife as she listened to something on the line.  She lifted her eyes to meet his and he read something there he hadn't seen before.  A small smile tugged at his lips.  She was no more angry at him than the man in the moon.  That little staring contest between them was tempering the overwhelming urge to rip each other's clothing off right there in front of Frank and Shay.

"Hello?  Adrian, it's Frankie."  She rolled her eyes.  "Yes, Frankie Battles… well, Shaw now, I'm married.  You got a minute?"

Jake listened quietly, occasionally looking at Frank and Shay to see their reactions as Frankie kept chatting.

"Yeah, I need help on a case.  Got time to do a quick DNA test for me?  What do you mean what's in it for you?"  She cradled the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she flipped pages… "How about… tickets to the Sox right behind home plate when they play the Yankees?  Let me see what I can do then.  Thanks, I'll call you back.  Good bye."  She hung up and immediately picked up the phone again.  As she waited for the call to pick up on the other end, she looked up at everyone as they stared at her.

"Hello?"

"Paulie!  It's Frankie, how are ya sugar?"

Frank and Shay slowly sat down as they watched Frankie perch on the edge of the table - they noticed she stayed just out of Jake's reach.

Frankie looked back and made sure she kept out of Jake's reach.  If he touched her right now, there'd be no recovering her calm and coolness right now… and both Frank and Shay needed her calm and cool at the moment.

"Listen, I got a favor I need from you.  Two tickets to the Sox/Yankees game right behind Home.  I'm helping out on a paternity case and need to kind of grease some wheels.  Of course… I love you, you're a peach!  Have them courier delivered to my office address.  Thanks babe!"  Again she hung up the phone and flipped pages.  One more time she picked up the phone and started dialing.  As she waited through the rings, she looked over at Frank.  "I'll talk to you in a second.  The ultimate payoff is going to be- Bernard!"

'Bernard'? they all mouthed at once.

"Yup, you got it!  I got two things… you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours… you game?  I knew it.  Look, I'm working on something that might involve a dirty doctor… or at least one who didn't wash behind his ears a few times.  Yeah, I don't have his or her name yet, but as soon as I get it and proof, I'll send it to you through a courier.  What I want in return is some special consideration for a friend of mine.  He's got a kid with a slight medical problem and he needs to see a doctor who's not gonna jerk him around and try to bilk him out of some money.  If you'll recommend one or see him yourself…  I knew you'd be the one to talk to!  Good, I'll give him your number and have him call you.  Thanks Bernie, I owe you big time for this.  Say hello to your wife and little girl for me.  OK… bye…" she hung up yet again and stood up.  "We're all set.  Let me make two more calls and then I'll explain everything."

"Wait… wait… What the hell was that?" Jake said incredulously as he sat forward on the sofa.

"Jake, m'dear, I think you just saw the Banshee Battles Network in action."

"Quite right Shay." Frankie murmured as she dialed the phone again.  "Paulie… get a pen…"

After another ten minutes and several attempts to get 'Paulie' off of the phone, Frankie hung up and plopped down in the chair as she waited for the last phone call.  "Adrian.  I'll deliver those tickets to you tomorrow morning when we come see you.  I need the results back as quickly as possible.  Dot your I's and cross your T's on this one, if ANYTHING looks like it was done to jimmy the results, I will come down on you so hard… no, I wasn't threatening… Adrian, the DNA test is for a friend of mine, a close friend who needs my help… I want this done right because I think the 'other party' is going to jig the test findings.  No, I've already dealt with that end of it.  I got skills baby.  Hey, you enjoy that game OK?  I'll see you tomorrow.  Say hello to your family for me.  You take care too… OK… bye…"  She hung up and groaned, leaning her head back on the back of the chair.

"Uh, Frankie?"

"Adrian Corbick, Paulie Wilsman and Bernard Smithers."

Everyone's jaw dropped at once.  Adrian Corbick was the one of the elite physicians in the Chicago area.  He was well known for his testimonies and cooperation with the Chicago PD on their evidence presentations.  He was never contested or found fault with in a court of law.  Paulie Wilson was also well known, but less than upstanding.  Rumor had it he was in good with the 'Family' and a renowned bookie.  Bernard Smithers… was the Surgeon General of Illinois and head of the Ethics Committee.

"We have an appointment at 9 am tomorrow - whether Daphne Charles gives a damn or not.  She'll show and have her son tested… or risk blowing her whole claim if she refuses."  Frankie said flatly as she lifted her head from the back of the chair.  "If she refuses, it looks to a judge like she's got something to hide.  If she insists on using her own doctor, then fine, use him and get me his name to give to Dr. Smithers.  Have you got a back bedroom I can use for a few minutes?"

Frank and Shay blinked, both pointing towards the back of the house.  Neither one quite sure they wanted to know her reason.

Frankie nodded and stood up, grasping Jake's hand and hauling him after her.  "We have some issues to discuss and work out..."  was all she said as she and Jake disappeared down the hallway.

Several thuds and thumps soon followed their disappearance and a loud groaning was heard almost instantly after that.

"I think…" Shay started only to be interrupted by another thumping bump and a loud gasping growl.  "I think she's starting to scare me a little."

"Only a little?" he teased and began gently massaging her lower back**.**

*****

to be continued...


	14. A Chip Off The 'Ol Block

Leaning quietly in the doorway of the family room, watching Shay play patty cake with Ariel while LJ worked diligently at building a castle with his blocks, Frank went over some of the happenings earlier that day.

Daphne had begun by demanding they use a particular doctor for the DNA testing, but changed her mind quickly when Frank had insisted that they have the test done by different sources and demanded information pertaining to the doctor she wished to use.  Knowing the ramifications would be far greater than winning or losing a paternity suit, she backed off.  Investigations into the doctor of her choice might very well lead them back to the one man whom she did not want to make an enemy of.

So, both he and "Frank Jr." submitted to the DNA testing at the hands of Adrian Corbick.  During their time in the waiting area and the exam rooms, Frank took time to observe the boy.  He definitely carried Daphne's looks; he was a beautiful boy.  Frank noticed the boy spent his time reading a book that was far beyond the level of a ten year old.  He was quiet and unobtrusive; he was quite the opposite of his mother.  He carried none of her mannerisms, none at all.

Shay looked up from their game of patty cake to find Frank watching the children carefully.  "Tiger?  You okay?"

He smiled softly and moved into the room to join her on the couch.  Both children were already dressed in their pajamas and it was nearing their bedtime.  "I'm fine, Ash.  I was just thinking...how Ariel's features favor me, but I see you in her every movement.  The way her brow creases when she's working out a problem, the way she talks with her hands when she's upset, the way her lips curl just the slightest when she knows she's up to something she shouldn't be, and even the way she pushes her hair out of her eyes."

Shay smiled crookedly as she lifted Ariel off her lap and onto the floor where she toddled happily over to her brother and proceeded to knock over his creation.  Both Frank and Shay tried to hide their amusement as LJ tried hard to keep his anger under control and explain to his sister that she had her own toys and to leave his alone.  

"Yes, Airy is a combination of the both of us, Tiger.  Is that a bad thing?"

Frank chuckled and pulled her into his embrace.  "Not at all...just an observation.  You can easily see LJ's Hispanic heritage and yet, there you are...his eyes, his mouth, and his sweet and loving nature...all a reflection of you."  

"What are you getting at, Frank?"

"Yes...Frank...junior."

'Oh."  She released a heavy sigh and rested her head on his chest.  

"I'm not trying to upset you," he responded and stroked her belly tenderly.

"I know."  She lifted up to kiss his lips softly.  "I watched you together today...like a jealous wife and mother.  I dissected his every movement and look and could see nothing of you in that boy.  Why is she doing this, Frank?  Why would she put that boy through this kind of torment?"  Frank remained silent as she continued, "Can you imagine the thoughts going through his head?  Meeting a man who is supposed to be his father under the circumstances he has met you.  Will he accept me, will he acknowledge me, and will he ever love me?  Pure torture to a young mind." 

Frank nodded and then rested his cheek on top of her head.  "Baby...there is a possibility, however slight, that he is my son.  I..."

Shay sat up and turned to face him.  She laid a gentle hand to his chest, her eyes flashed angrily as they locked on to his.  "I wasn't there, Frank...I didn't know you then and I sure as hell didn't know her.  Tell me what you remember about that night."

Frank was taken slightly aback by the look in her eyes until he realized it wasn't directed at him.  "I remember the collar, I remember going out to dinner at an expensive restaurant to celebrate..."

"Did you drink a lot?  Were you into drugs?"

Frank frowned.  "Define 'a lot'.  No, I didn't and no...no drugs."

"None that you were aware of, maybe," she commented and patted his chest lightly.  "Agent Donovan...perhaps that she-devil _wanted_ to get you in the sack so badly that she slipped you something and tried to seduce you.  Hell...maybe she actually succeeded," she ended disconsolately.

Frank groaned and hugged her to him fiercely.  "What if..."

"You should get to know him, Frank.  Really...take some time to do that.  Either way, you both should have the chance to know each other."

"Shay...what are you saying?"

"I'm saying...go to that _woman_ and make an offer to get to know the boy.  She won't refuse that, she may even take that as a sign that she's making some headway in her demented attempt to get you back," she reasoned.

"What about you and the kids?"  He just could not see bringing the boy and his mother around Shay and the kids.  Shay especially.  

"We've been without you for short periods of time before, Frank Donovan.   The more time you spend with them, the more chance you have of making her slip up.  At least, that's what we can hope for."

He gave it some thought before answering.  "If this gets too much for you...if we need to find a quick solution..."

"I've already thought of one," she replied cryptically before kissing his forehead and struggling to her feet.  "Bedtime for babies..."

"Aw...Mommy!"

*****


	15. A Clean Break

"He's where?" Cody gasped and stared at Shay.  She was going through the files on her desk, closing out the completed files, and reassigning the open ones to Cody.  "And you're going where?"

"Frank's been staying at the Ritz for the past week, getting to know Frank Jr.," She lifted her head to see everyone [Cody, Alex, Jake and Frankie] in the nest was staring at her as if she had gone mad.  "Look...we both thought him getting to know Frank jr. was a good idea, but Daphne wouldn't allow unsupervised visits and I could not bear that woman setting foot in my home."

Frankie nodded and switched Jessie to her other hip.  "I don't blame you...especially after that incident in the park.  The woman has no clue how to treat a child."  She glanced across the room where LJ kept Ariel occupied with a hand puppet.  He looked a tad too big for her portable playpen, but they looked as if they were enjoying themselves.

--

Frank sighed inwardly as he glanced sideways at Daphne.  She sat stiffly in the passenger seat of his Blazer, while 'Frank jr.' was buckled safely in the back.  He would never get used to the boy being 'Frank jr.' and he felt like the biggest hypocrite going on these family outings with him and his viperous mother.  Even after spending the last week getting to know the boy, Frank felt no real familial bond forming between them.  He seemed like a good kid and Frank was developing a fondness for him, but only a fondness he felt for most children.  

He eased the Blazer off the road and into the Nest's parking lot.  He had run by Thomas' after trying Shay at home and had been informed she had gone into work to straighten up her things and clear out her desk.  Just as she had informed him the previous night when they spoke on the phone, she was going through with her plans and he was less than happy about it.

"Do me one favor, Daphne.  Keep your mouth shut," he ordered quietly before Frank jr. had gotten out of the vehicle.  "Shay will be livid to see you as it is...don't make things harder for her."

Daphne shrugged uncaringly, but did not voice her opinion.  She could give a fig how Shay Renquist Donovan responded to her or her presence, but thought better of raising Frank's anger.  He had gone out of his way this last week, taking Frank jr. to the park, a soccer game after he found out how much the boy loved soccer and even drove them out to the suburbs to go horseback riding.  He had even stayed at the same hotel she and Frank jr. were staying in order to spend as much time as possible getting to know the boy.  She knew he had left his home because his selfish wife could not deal with her or Frank jr. near her children.  Never once had he brought up the subject of whether the boy was really his or not during the time he spent with them.  He simply said that until the DNA results were in, which would be any day, he would not broach the subject.   She had also agreed to keep quiet about it.

"Hey, Boss," Cody greeted with enthusiasm until he saw the remainder of Frank's party.  "Oh, hello."

Frank was not surprised at the cold looks tossed his way for bringing Daphne into their midst once again.  "Good morning.   Shay, I need to talk to you," he said, moving toward her desk.

"Talk.  I'm listening," she responded shortly without looking up at him.

"I'd like to take LJ and Ariel out with us to the park today, if you don't mind."

"I do mind, actually.  I have to take them for passports and a checkup at the doctors before we leave tomorrow," she stated calmly, still refusing to look at him.

"Leave? Where?" Frankie asked suddenly.  

Shay looked up to see Frankie's disturbed look.  "Let's just say...I'll be out of town."

"Shay..."  Frank stopped when he noticed the e-tickets lying on her desk.  "Air France..."

Shay nodded.  "Dual citizenship, babe...you know that."

"I won't let you take the kids..."

She quietly placed her palms on the desktop and rose from her chair with concerted effort to face him.  "It's just for a couple weeks, Frank.  I'm having a lot of trouble dealing with this situation.  I need a little peace in my life right now and I've always found comfort and strength at the Chateau."

Frank huffed softly and took her by the arm.  "We agreed that I needed time to get to know Frank Jr.  Don't leave, Shay...we'll work this out," he insisted.

Shay sighed and looked deep into chocolate eyes that were clouded with emotional pain.  Closing the distance between them, she touched his cheek tenderly and whispered, "I'm not leaving you...I just need a break from this stress.  Two weeks...give me two weeks.  I promise you, we'll be back and nothing will keep us apart."

Frank nodded and touched his forehead to hers.  "Positive?"

"Positive.  Married or not, I'm yours...forever."

Daphne rolled her eyes and grimaced at the couple.  She was unused to seeing the controlled Frank Donovan so loving in the arms of a woman.  They would choose to live together in sin before they would give up their life together.  It was fairly evident that with or without the results of the DNA test, Daphne Charles would not be able to split Frank Donovan from his family.

Frank jr. stood off to the side with his mother watching the scene unfold before him.  In the past week, he had learned what a father could be...what a semi-normal home life could be, and he truly liked this Frank Donovan.   He really had no idea why his mother was playing these games and hurting these people.  He looked over to where his "father's" two children played happily together; blissfully unaware of what was happening in the room.

Shay felt the soft touch of a gentle hand on hers and looked down to see Daphne's son.  "Frank jr," she said softly.

"My..." he began hesitantly.  "My real name is Richard, ma'am.  I...Mother...she..."

Frank knelt to the boy's level.  "What are you trying to say?  It's okay...you can tell us."

'Richard' looked carefully toward his mother and saw the look of sheer horror on her face as she realized her son was about to spill the beans.  "No!"

"I have to, Mother," he said sadly.  "It's not fair...what you're doing to him and his family."  He turned back to Frank and Shay.  "I know...I mean, I've seen pictures of my father, but I don't actually know him.  I...don't know why Mother wanted me to say you were my father..." he trailed off and hung his head as the tears surfaced.  

Shay glared hatefully across the room at Daphne for what she had done.  Not only had she caused pain and heartache in the lives of the Donovans, but also the torment her own son was going through had to be astronomical.  She watched Frank embrace the young boy and tell him he had done the right thing.   She placed a comforting hand on both Frank and Richard's shoulders.  "Thank you for being honest, Richard.  Nothing can make up for what you're going through, but thank you...for my children's sake."

Richard looked up and gave Shay a small, weak smile.  "I'll be okay..." he assured quietly, pulling away from Frank.  "I want to go home now."

Frank nodded.  "Go on out to the car and I'll take you home in a minute."  

After Richard had left, Frank turned to Daphne.  "There are too many witnesses here, Daphne, for you to deny what just took place."

Daphne raised her chin.  "Fine...you win.  Have a new set of annulment papers drawn up and I'll sign them."

Frank turned to Shay, who smiled wickedly and reached into her desk drawer.  When her hand emerged, she held a set of legal documents.  "There ya go, Tiger."

Frank tossed them on the table in front of Daphne and handed her a pen.  "No time like the present.  Sign.  Now."

Frankie, Jake, Alex, and Cody looked from Shay to Frank and then back again.  "You had this planned all along...you were never leaving."

With a growl, Daphne snatched the pen from Donovan and bent down to scrawl her name on the appointed line.  When she stood, she looked into the darkest set of eyes she had ever seen.

Shay smiled easily at her friends.  "No, I wasn't.  I know it was a cruel thing, but we thought if given time, the boy would form a bond with Frank and we could only hope he would find it in his heart to tell the truth if he saw the pain the situation was putting Frank and his family through."

"Don't try anything again," he whispered to Daphne threateningly while his wife explained what had taken place between them and Richard.  "If you show your face to me or my wife ever again in our lifetimes...I'll make you disappear."

Daphne blinked and backed away.  Somehow, she knew he meant every word.  She turned to leave the room, but was stopped by his wife.

"There's just one more thing," Shay said sweetly.  "Take care of that boy...he deserves MUCH better than you." She stepped aside to let Daphne pass, but then grabbed her arm and turned her back around to face her.  "Oh...I forgot this..."  In a flash, Shay balled up her fist, reached back, and slammed it into Daphne's face.  She smiled satisfyingly when she saw Daphne hit the floor and heard the collective gasps from the group.

Frank heard the crunch and saw the blood spatter over Daphne's cheeks and mouth.  Shay had effectively broken the women's nose and ruined her perfect face.  He looked comically at his wife who merely shrugged at the woman who now lay whimpering on the floor of the nest.  "Just something to remember me by," Shay said with a smile as she slid into her husband's arms.  "Hey...I could have killed her." 

He hugged her tightly and whispered, "And I would have..."

~finis....for now.  A new adventure is not far off in the wings...


End file.
